Ephesians 1:2

May grace (God’s unmerited favor) and spiritual peace [which means peace with God and harmony, unity, and undisturbedness] be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

Here is a great Truth, our Father has to give us peace with Him. We can’t really be comfortable with God unless He gives us peace with Himself. He gives us peace by giving us unmerited favor. That means that we can’t earn His peace, it is all just a free gift and it is all given to us in spite of ourselves. 

Religion never really gave me that understanding, but the Bible sure did. The Word of our Father allowed me to see that God was responsible to make sure that we had peace. Then He really drove the Truth home when He gave me two children. It was through my kids that I realized exactly how it all worked. As babies my two daughters did nothing to earn peace with me. They did no works, they followed no rules, and yet Beth and I still insured that they trusted us and had peace that they were loved and fully taken care of, and it was all unmerited. They did nothing other then being our kids, just as we can do nothing other than be God’s kids. They threw tantrums and we were still responsible for them. They yelled at us and we were still responsible for them. They got in trouble and still freely and graciously Beth and I insured that they were protected and felt safe. We were even responsible to insure that they felt safe while being corrected. 

Jesus tells us the same things are true with Him and God as well when it comes to us. 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Matthew 11:28

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33

We are little kids. That means that our Father is totally responsible to make sure that we feel comfortable with Him. When I was growing up in Church the preachers were like my big brother. He would tell me that I was adopted. He would try to play tricks on me to cause me to doubt who I was. He would even tell me that I was invisible and that people couldn't see me, but I had mom and dad there proving to me that I was completely theirs and I knew, regardless of what Dave said, that I was safe. My parents were responsible for insuring that I had peace, not my brother. Far too many preachers will try to tell us what we need to do or how we have to act to have our Father accept and be with us. Don’t ever listen to them. We are never left alone and we are never forsaking and our relationship with God is all unearned and undeserved.