Cultivating Peace This Christmas: A Pastoral Encouragement
As pastors and shepherds of God’s people, we know how deeply our world longs for peace. Yet, if we are being honest with ourselves, do we really understand what it means to live in peace? We wrestle with it constantly in our own lives and in the lives of those we counsel. But, the Christmas season offers us an opportunity to reflect on the one who is the very source of peace itself. Let’s take a moment to dive a little deeper
Luke tells us that on the night Christ was born, shepherds stood under a dark sky and suddenly “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” The angel declared, “Do not be afraid… For there is born to you this day… a Savior, who is Christ the Lord… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8–14 NKJV). That proclamation was not poetic sentiment—it was a divine announcement that peace had taken on flesh.
The Greek word eirēnē (εἰρήνη) reveals the depth of what the angels were declaring:
- Harmony and restored relationship—not simply the absence of conflict, but the healing of what was broken.
- The end of hostility, especially between God and humanity.
- Wholeness and completeness, much like the fullness of the Hebrew shalom.
- Order replacing chaos, the undoing of sin’s disruption through Christ’s arrival.
This is the peace Jesus came to bring—not merely peace from something, but peace into something. And as leaders, we carry a sacred responsibility to live in this peace and to lead others into it.
In our churches, we see the battles that strain peace: wounded relationships, clashing personalities, misunderstood motives, stressed marriages, and leadership tensions. The enemy presses hard against peace, because peace carries unity, wholeness, and strength. Yet Christmas reminds us that peace is not an abstract ideal—it is a person. The Prince of Peace has come, and we are called to partner with Him in restoring what is fractured.
Before we can shepherd others into peace, we must first ask ourselves: Am I living in peace with the Lord? Has the brokenness in me been healed? Am I walking in wholeness? If the Prince of Peace has met you in those places, then you are called to help others encounter Him in the same way. It really is that simple. Sometimes in the busyness of this season, or in the weightiness of our roles, we can start to shift our focus. In many instances hurt can change the way that we respond to others or how we lead. Holding the tension of being healthy ourselves and helping others with similar struggles can be tough, but it’s possible if we are intentional. In leadership roles we can often feel isolated or alone as we try to model peace for others. This is why we need one another. It’s to sharpen and remind us of “Who” our Peace is, and how to live so that His peace overflows from us and affects those we have the privilege of leading. Our churches should be sanctuaries where hostility bows to grace and where the fragrance of peace is unmistakable.
The greatest pastoral work is not simply preaching peace but embodying it. Our calling is to bring peace into every place that our influence touches—our staff teams, our congregations, marriages we counsel, families we minister to, and the relationships we steward.
When the angels announced Christ’s birth, they did not whisper. They erupted in worship because heaven understood: Peace Himself had arrived. This Christmas, may we join their song—not just with our voices, but with our leadership, our presence, and our lives. Wherever we go, may Emmanuel—God with us—leave a trail of restored relationships, healed hearts, and bring order in place of chaos.
May the peace of Christ rule in your heart this season. And through you, may it rule in every space God has entrusted to your care.
