How I Used Truth - Lesson 8 - Annotation 10
What is peace? How is the consciousness of peace attained by the individual?
10. Peace is an harmonious state of mind based on the divine idea of peace. Peace is the condition of harmony and tranquillity that comes as a result of knowing our true relation to God. Universal peace is the harmony that results in the world when a sufficient number of enlightened souls know God consciously and apply this inner knowing to all their human relationships.
Webster's dictionary says that peace means, "to come together in amity; a state of public tranquillity or quiet; harmony in human or personal relations; a mental or spiritual state in which there is freedom from that which is disquieting or perturbing." Peace then is a condition resulting from spiritual, mental, and physical action based on the true and good.
"We may plan peace and achieve it, but if this peace is not based upon divine law . . . and that law incorporated into the pact of peace as well as into the minds of those who sign that pact, we shall have no permanent peace" (Mysteries of John 37).
In order to attain the consciousness of peace, we will undoubtedly have much mental work to do as preparation for the revelation that peace is every man's birthright. We need to spend time meditating upon peace. This will probably call for denial that any person, condition, or thing can prevent peace from manifesting. Then in order that our consciousness may be ready to receive the Truth, affirmations of peace need to be spoken, silently or audibly, to train our thinking. We need to affirm often statements such as the following:
"Heavenly Father, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with love and understanding in my heart."
When we are faithful to the mental training by the use of denials and affirmations, our consciousness is receptive to the divine illumination of peace. "Simple belief in or assent to the truth of a proposition never gave understanding to anyone. There must be mental action . . . before the new state of consciousness takes up its abode in you" (Talks on Truth 143-144).
When we use rightly (righteously) all of our mental, emotional, and physical resources for the furtherance of God's kingdom, we experience the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Phil. 4:7).
"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and
the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever" (Isa. 32:17).
Nations have sought in outer ways to bring peace among the peoples of the world and these efforts have been worthy. However, in the final analysis, there must be built a consciousness of peace within the people of every nation in order to achieve a lasting peace. This can be done only by living in harmony with God's law of peace. When we learn to obey God's laws of love, faith, and understanding we will obey the outer laws that make for peace between man and man.
Because peace is a divine quality, an idea of Divine Mind, it is always a part of our spiritual nature. When we speak of "attaining a consciousness of peace" we are not thinking of something outside ourselves. We are, rather, considering the awakening of our own mind (thinking and feeling) to the idea of peace, so that it may manifest in our outer life.
In thinking of peace, we might ask ourselves, "Who is a peacemaker?" Charles Fillmore defines a peacemaker as:
"One who has the ability to say 'peace' to the turbulent waves of thought and have them obey. A peacemaker is one who reduces to peace and harmony all the thoughts of strife, anger, and retaliation in his own mind. . . . 'Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God (Matt. 5:9)'" (The Revealing Word 146).
We become peacemakers when we attain a consciousness of peace within ourselves -- in our thinking and feeling. Having found inner peace, we express peace in our words and our actions. We become a peaceful influence in our homes, places of employment, all our social contacts. The book Your Hope of Glory (page 93) presents this same idea in the following words:
"The peacemakers are persons who make peace outwardly because they have attained an inner peace. Since they are at peace with God they are also at peace with others, and they bring peace to all the conditions in which they are involved (Your Hope of Glory 93)."
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Preceding Entry: What is the "Lord" that is to be trusted implicitly?
Following Entry: What is a "word"? To what do we refer when we write "Word" with a capital "W"?
