Early in the year, a man and woman fall in love and all is right with the world! Later in the year, they can’t stand each other. Can you relate? Many relationships grow cold or even hostile because something is missing: Peace. Is peace the missing piece in your relationships?

Missing Pieces

Relationships are like jigsaw puzzles. When all the pieces are snapped together, the puzzle is complete. When there are gaps and holes, the puzzle is incomplete. When all the pieces are in place, it’s satisfying and fulfilling. When pieces are missing, it’s frustrating and disappointing.

But what about relationships? What are the “pieces” that make for a satisfying and fulfilling relationship? Too often, people jump into a relationship with someone just because they’re attractive. Physical attractiveness is good, but it’s incomplete — important pieces are missing. Others want someone who is easy to talk to or makes them laugh.

But the longer the relationship, the more we realize other pieces are needed. A good relationship requires trust, patience and good communication skills. In the real world, a good partner will have a good job and manage their finances well.

The longer the relationship, the longer the list of necessary “pieces” — the ability to manage conflict, good parenting skills and the willingness to make needed sacrifices. Eventually, everyone who ventures into a relationship will discover something crucial — even if they never really understand it; even if they spend their entire life bouncing from one failed relationship to another, looking for all the right “pieces”: Every relationship is incomplete because people are incomplete.

Every relationship will have missing pieces.

Missing Peace

So, is there no hope? Are all relationships doomed to devolve into disappointment and failure? Not at all. The key is to find the missing piece: Peace. But not just any peace.

God designed people to be in relationship with each other, but He never intended for human relationships to meet every need and satisfy every desire of the human heart. He designed us to be in relationship with Himself. We can only have peace with other people if we have peace with God. Being at peace with God makes it possible for us to find satisfaction and fulfillment in our human relationships. Peace with God provides the completeness we will never find in human relationships alone.

But finding peace with God is no simple matter. All of creation — including the human heart — has been tainted by sin. And sadly, our wrong lovings, doings, and thinkings make peace with God impossible. Sin is rebellion against God and what He calls good and right and true. To sin against God is to find ourselves fighting against Him like enemies.

But there is hope. There is a mediator — a peacemaker.

The Lord Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you”. The peace Jesus offers is not a shallow and temporary peace like “the world gives”. It is a deep and lasting peace. It is a peace that only He can offer us. It is peace with God. Through His death, Jesus is able to provide us with forgiveness of our sins and reconcile us with God.

When we believe in Jesus, and are reconciled with God by faith, we can then find satisfaction and fulfillment in our relationships with other people. Having peace with God fills in the missing pieces.

Missing Peace?

Jesus knew that not everyone would want to have peace with God. He knew many would reject Him and those who believe in Him. He said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law”.

This “division” means complete peace with all people is impossible. But even then, having peace with God will make it possible for you to have peace with your friends, loved ones, even enemies; to be patient with hostile family members; and to forgive those who reject and hurt you.

Simply welcome the Lord Jesus into your life and be reconciled with God. Find the missing peace with God your heart longs for and let the peace of God transform all your relationships.