Kingdom Living Insights – Biblical Virtues Series – Peace and Its Opposites

In this series, we’re looking at the godly qualities, the biblical virtues, that the Lord wants to form in us as we follow Him. These are not just nice ideas, but real fruit that grows in a heart that is walking with the Holy Spirit. The opposite of these virtues are what Scripture calls the works of the flesh, sins, and evil attitudes.

In the first post, I used the word “vices” because that’s a term many Christians are familiar with. But going forward, I want to stick closer to the Bible’s own language. So I will be speaking of virtues and the works of the flesh / sins / evil attitudes, just as the New Testament does.

 

Peace and Its Opposites

For this post I chose peace and its opposites because peace is listed as fruit of the Spirit, while anxiety, fear, worry, strife, division, and unrest are attitudes and patterns that fracture our hearts, our relationships, and our trust in God.

Biblical peace is far more than just “not fighting” or “feeling calm.” It’s a deep, God-given wholeness and harmony that touches every part of life – our relationship with God, with others, and within ourselves. The opposites – anxiety, fear, worry, strife, division, and unrest – show up when we stop trusting God, when we cling to control, when we let conflict grow and go unresolved, or when we allow our hearts to be ruled by turmoil instead of by the Prince of Peace.

The original languages of the Bible give us a richer picture of what peace really is.

In Hebrew, the main word for peace is shalom (שָׁלוֹם). It means much more than “no war.” Shalom carries the idea of completeness, wholeness, soundness, health, welfare, safety, and prosperity. It’s everything that makes for a person’s highest good – being whole and right with God, with others, and within oneself.

In everyday life, many Jewish people still greet each other with ‘Shalom’ or ‘Shalom, shalom.’ It’s more than just ‘hello’ – it’s a blessing of wholeness and well-being over the other person. Few, if any, other words in the world carry this same combination of peace, completeness, harmony, and everyday use as a greeting.

In Greek, the word for peace in Galatians 5:22 is eirene (εἰρήνη). In classical Greek, it often meant the absence of war or a state of law and order. But in the New Testament, shaped by the Hebrew concept of shalom, it means wholeness, harmony, well-being, quietness, rest, and unity – being brought together as one.

Galatians 5:22 (WEB) says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,” That word “peace” here is eirene – a deep, Spirit-given wholeness and calm.

 

What Peace Is and What It Isn’t

Biblical peace is not the same as the absence of problems. We can face storms, conflicts, and uncertainties and still have the peace of God. Peace is rooted in who God is, what He has done in Christ, and the assurance that He is sovereign and good, not in how calm our circumstances are.

John 14:27 (WEB) records Jesus saying: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” Notice that Jesus speaks of His peace – a peace the world cannot give and cannot take away.

Philippians 4:6–7 (WEB) adds another layer: In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Here, peace is closely connected to prayer, trust, and thankfulness. When we bring our worries to God, His peace stands guard over our hearts and minds.

Colossians 3:15 (WEB) says: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. The word “rule” here suggests that peace is like an umpire or judge in our hearts, helping us decide what to let in and what to reject.

Isaiah 26:3 (WEB) gives a beautiful promise: You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you. Perfect peace here is linked to trust – a heart that leans on God rather than on its own understanding.

 

Fear, Anxiety, and Worry Are Not the Same as Sin

Many believers feel guilty when they experience fear, anxiety, or worry, as if these feelings automatically mean they lack faith. But the Bible shows us something more nuanced.

Jesus Himself felt deep distress in the garden before His crucifixion. He said, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” (Matthew 26:38, WEB). He also told His disciples, “Don’t let your heart be troubled” (John 14:1, WEB), which implies that troubled hearts are a real possibility, even for His followers.

The Psalms are full of honest cries: “Why are you in despair, my soul?… Hope in God!” (Psalm 42:5,11, WEB). The writer is troubled, yet he calls himself to hope. This tells us that fear, anxiety, and sorrow are not automatically sins. They are human responses to pain, danger, and uncertainty in a broken world.

God is near to the fearful and anxious. He does not reject us when we come to Him with trembling hearts. Biblical peace is not the absence of fear; it’s the presence of God in the middle of that fear, and a growing trust that He is bigger than our storms.

So fear, anxiety, and worry are not the true opposites of peace. The real opposites are attitudes and choices that cut us off from God, who is the source of peace, and that break our relationships and our inner life.

 

Depression, Chronic Illness, and Peace

I also want to say something about depression and chronic illness again, because peace is often misunderstood in these contexts.

Peace does not mean that your emotions are always calm, that your body feels well, or that your mind is free from heavy thoughts. You can have the peace of God and still feel anxious, sad, or physically unwell. Peace is not the absence of pain; it’s the presence of God in the middle of that pain.

I myself live with dysthymia and several chronic health issues. Some days my mind is foggy, my body is weak, and my emotions are flat or heavy. But even on those days, I can have a deep, quiet peace in my spirit – a knowing that God is good, that He is with me, and that He holds my future. Sometimes peace looks like whispering, “Lord, I trust You,” when everything in me feels unsettled. Sometimes it looks like resting in His love when I have no strength left to fight.

If you struggle with depression, chronic illness, anxiety disorders, or long-term pain, please know: you are not disqualified from God’s peace. He can form His shalom in you even in the middle of long-term heaviness. His peace is not dependent on your body’s condition or your emotions’ stability. It’s rooted in His character and His promises.

 

The Opposites: Anxiety, Fear, Worry, Strife, Division, and Unrest

If peace is a deep, God-centered wholeness and harmony, then its true opposites are attitudes and patterns that break us and pull us away from trust. The following are some of the main opposites we see in Scripture, though there are certainly others that could be named.

• Anxiety, fear, and worry fix our eyes on threats instead of on God’s promises. They tell us, “You are not safe. Something terrible will happen. You must control everything.” They make our hearts feel crowded and restless.

• Strife and conflict grow when we insist on being right, when we refuse to listen, and when we let anger and pride rule our words. They break relationships and create divisions in families, churches, and communities.

• Division and disunity happen when we choose sides, hold grudges, and refuse reconciliation. They split the body of Christ and grieve the Holy Spirit, who desires unity.

• Inner unrest and turmoil show up as constant mental noise, restlessness, and an inability to rest in God. They keep us from hearing His voice and from experiencing His quiet presence.

• Sin in general is a major opposite of peace, because sin separates us from God, who is the source of all peace. Isaiah 59:2 (WEB) says, “But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” When we walk in unrepentant sin, we distance ourselves from the very One who gives us peace. That’s why confession, repentance, and walking in the light are so important for a peaceful life.

The Bible warns against these attitudes again and again. Philippians 4:6 (WEB) commands, “In nothing be anxious,” and instead calls us to prayer and thanksgiving. James 4:1 (WEB) asks, “Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?” Strife and division often start in our own uncontrolled desires.

Proverbs 17:1 (WEB) says: Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.

Romans 14:19 (WEB) urges: So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. Peace is something we actively pursue, not something that just happens.

Anxiety, fear, worry, strife, division, and unrest often feed each other. We get afraid, we start worrying, we become irritable, we snap at others, conflict grows, relationships break, and our inner world becomes more and more turbulent. But the Gospel offers another way: bringing our fears to God in prayer, choosing humility over pride, pursuing reconciliation, and refusing to let strife or division take root.

 

Growing in Peace

We don’t have to build peace by our own strength only. As we stay close to the Holy Spirit, He quietly builds shalom, God’s deep, abiding peace, into our lives. He shows us how to lean on God’s character, hand over our worries in prayer, and let His peace act like a guard over our hearts.

This peace becomes visible in everyday choices: turning to prayer instead of panic, offering forgiveness instead of harboring bitterness, moving toward reconciliation instead of avoiding tough conversations, answering with gentleness instead of reacting in anger, and not giving anxiety, strife, or sin a place to settle. And for those of us living with depression, chronic illness, or anxiety disorders, peace can also look like clinging to God when our thoughts are racing or our bodies feel like they are falling apart, and letting Him be our rest on the days when we have no strength left.

Reflection Question

Where do you notice anxiety, fear, worry, strife, division, or unrest rising in your life right now – in your thoughts, your words, your relationships, or your prayers? And where might God be inviting you to choose shalom – deep, Spirit-given peace – instead?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the Prince of Peace and that Your peace is my wholeness. I lay down my anxiety, fear, worry, strife, division, unrest, and sin before You. Teach me Your shalom – Your deep, abiding peace. Help me to be anxious for nothing, but in everything to bring my requests to You with thanksgiving. Guard my heart and mind in You. Meet me in my heaviness, my pain, and my fatigue, and let Your peace sustain me even on the hardest days. In You name, I pray. Amen.