When the Night Feels Long

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV

For the longest time, I believed peace was something I had to work for. If I could just fix this, manage that, and finally get life in order, then maybe I would feel peace.

But Jesus says something completely different. Peace is not something we earn, it is something we receive.

The world’s version of peace is loud. It says: show me.
Show me the plan. Show me the outcome. Change my circumstance, and then I will feel at peace.

God’s peace whispers: know me.
Know my heart. Know my love. Know my Word. Know my character. Even when nothing on the outside changes, His peace stays steady on the inside.

The peace of God is not temporary. It is both internal and eternal.

Luke 5 gives us such a clear picture of this. Peter had fished all night and came up with nothing but exhaustion, emptiness, and disappointment. Then Jesus showed up on the shore and said, “Put your nets down on the other side.” Suddenly, what was empty became full.

We have all had nights like Peter. Nights when we give our all only to feel like we failed. Nights when sleep will not come and peace feels out of reach.

But Scripture reminds us:
“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

If you are still in the night, hold on. Your story is not over. Morning is coming.

Peter actually met Jesus at the shore twice. Both times he was lost. Both times he was found.

• The first time, Peter had lost his direction. He was failing at what defined him. Jesus gave him new purpose and called him to be a fisher of men.

• The second time, Peter was lost in his faith. After denying Jesus three times, shame had swallowed him whole. But Jesus showed up again on the shore, this time filling Peter with forgiveness and love that restored his faith and carried him until the very end.

Every time Peter was lost, he found Jesus at the shore. And the same is true for us.

Peter later wrote these words in 1 Peter 5:7 NIV: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

That word cast is a fisherman’s term. Peter is inviting us to show up at the shore, lay our cares before the Lord, and make the exchange; our fear for His peace, our worry for His presence.

So let me ask you: what do you need to exchange today?

God cares. He is waiting at the shore. It is time to cast. It is time to receive. It is time to let His peace overwhelm you.

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.” Psalm 56:8