阅读经文 

在我所熟悉的人当中，我的祖母Natalia是一个最平静的人。我记得小时侯我总以为她仁慈的性情是理所当然的。现在，当我回顾她的一生时，我禁不住诧异她怎样能摆脱一生中所经历到的种种悲痛和怨恨。

她年轻时在俄罗斯集体农庄过着艰苦的生活；十多岁时，她忍受战乱、纳粹军事侵占、饥饿、苦役和磨难。后来，在迁往另一个城市后，她因意外受工伤导致右手失去功能。尽管如此，她始终都保持着愉快和感恩的态度。她是如何做到的呢？

我们可以在今天的经文中找到答案。使徒保罗谈到基督徒是蒙召存平安和感恩的心态来生活的。对他来说，这种心态不依赖愉快的体验或特别的训练。唯独藉着基督，我们才能获得平安和感恩的心态。

当基督的平安在我们心里作主时，它会改变我们自己和我们的世界观。它赋与我们力量可以优雅和谦逊地面对挑战。不管生活中发生了什么事——我们都蒙召存感恩的心来面对。

我深信我的祖母有基督的平安在她心里。我们每一个人若肯在神面前谦卑下来，也可以经历这份基督里的平安。这份平安你拥有了吗？

My grandmother Natalia was one of the most peaceful persons I have ever met. I recall that as a young boy I often took her kind personality for granted. Looking back on her life now, I cannot help wondering how she managed to escape bitterness and resentment throughout her life.

Her younger years on a collective farm in Russia were tough. In her teens she endured the war, Nazi occupation, hunger, hard labor, and suffering. Later, after moving to a city, she was injured in a work-related accident and lost the use of her right hand. Even so, she remained cheerful and thankful to the end. How can this be?

There’s an answer in today’s Bible reading. The apostle Paul talks about the Christian calling to peace and thanksgiving. For him, these attitudes do not depend on happy life experiences or special training. Peace and thanksgiving come through Christ alone.

When Christ’s peace rules in our hearts, it changes us and our view of the world. It gives us strength to meet our challenges with grace and humility. And no matter what—we are called to be thankful.

I’m convinced that my grandmother had the peace of Christ in her heart. Each of us can experience this peace too, if we humble ourselves before God. Do you have this peace?