As the world has grown smaller through technology and international bodies such as the UN, world peace has often been held up as both a goal and an aspiration.

Alongside this, countless suggested pathways promise peace in our personal lives, from well-meaning Netflix shows urging us to declutter to spiritual practices such as yoga.

The Bible teaches that peace does not come through a process, a political party or a particular place. We can often fool ourselves into thinking peace will finally arrive when a few situations are resolved, if only we can reach a certain time of year or get through a hectic period.

Scripture explains that true peace comes through responding to God through his Son, Jesus. God calls us to turn from our own way of living, submit to his and enjoy relationship with him. This does not mean life suddenly becomes easy, but it does mean we can live with “the peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Genesis records humanity’s descent and explains why the lack of peace is deeper than difficult circumstances. The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom”, which speaks of wholeness and oneness, embracing everything God designed us for.

That Shalom was shattered when sin entered the world. Our relationship with God was broken, our relationships with others were broken, our relationship with ourselves was broken and our relationship with the world was broken.

As the verse in Luke makes clear, the restoration of Shalom is found through God’s favour and blessing. Peace does not come through politics or persuasion. We begin to recover God’s Shalom when our relationship with him is restored. That is why Romans tells us that “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 NIV).

Peace comes through a person — but not through our own personhood. It comes through a unique person who lived a one-of-a-kind, extraordinary life. That person is Jesus Christ, whom you can know today, and in this Christmas season.