Someone used the word miasma in a sentence.  I had never heard this word before and needed to look it up.  The way they used it meant an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere which surrounds or emanates from something.  I honestly felt a little disheartened that this word even existed so I started looking for words that would have an opposite meaning.

As I searched, words like pure, clean, and restorative came up.   I finally landed on a word from the Bible that satisfied me.  That word is shalom.  Although shalom does mean peace, it also has a deeper meaning of completeness, wholeness, welfare, and a restorative environment where nothing is missing or broken. 

As I began to dig deeper (and pastor has taught us), I found that it also accounts for someone’s health, prosperity, and overall welfare.  It is not limited to the absence of strife.  It means so much more.

Isaiah 26:3 reminds us:

    You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
     because they trust in you.

Let’s lean into peace, the true peace (shalom) of God and what it stands for by trusting in Him.