Podcast Summary

Podcast: Life.Church with Craig Groeschel
Episode: Why Can’t I Feel God’s Peace? | He Will Be Called: Part 4
Date: December 24, 2025
Host/Speaker: Craig Groeschel, Teaching Pastor (Life.Church)
Episode Theme: Exploring why so many people—especially during Christmas—don’t feel the peace that Jesus promises, and how true biblical peace is found and experienced.

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt Christmas message, Craig Groeschel addresses the disconnect many experience between the promise of God’s peace and the stressful, painful, or anxious realities of daily life—especially during the holidays. Drawing from scripture, personal stories, and reflection, Craig unpacks what it truly means that Jesus is our “Prince of Peace” and how we can tangibly experience His peace, regardless of our circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Christmas as an Emotional Multiplier

• Christmas heightens all emotions:
  • Positive experiences become more joyful, but difficulties can be magnified—stress, grief, anxiety, or loneliness. (00:26–02:32)
• Common Holiday Emotions:
  • Excited anticipation vs. emotional heaviness (stress, depression, loneliness, grief).
  • Even among Christians, few report feeling true peace at Christmas.
  • “No one said peace. It made me step back and remember. Jesus came to bring us peace on earth.” —Craig Groeschel (02:43)

2. The Promise of Peace in Scripture

• Isaiah’s prophecy:
  • Isaiah 9:6 predicts the birth of Jesus as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”—announced 700 years before Christ. (04:15–05:43)
• The waiting and longing for peace:
  • God’s people waited centuries for true, lasting peace.
  • Angels proclaim “peace on earth” at Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:13–14).

3. Three Biblical Truths About Peace

Craig outlines three distinct but related kinds of peace Jesus brings:

a. Peace With God

• What it is:
  • The foundational peace we receive when we are justified by faith in Jesus—not by works, but by accepting His grace.
• Illustration:
  • Craig’s humorous story about traffic court and being declared “innocent” despite guilt illustrates justification. (09:19–12:33)
  • “Even though we are guilty, when you put your faith in Jesus, you're justified and the debt is cleared.” (11:55)
• Key Scripture: Romans 5:1—Justified by faith, we have peace with God.
• Personal reflection:
  • Craig shares his past uncertainty of salvation:

    “So much of my life I was worried I wasn’t good enough.” (12:33)

b. Peace From God

• What it is:
  • A unique, supernatural peace that only God can give—Jesus’ own peace, not as the world gives (John 14:27).
• Key Quote:

  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” —Jesus, cited by Craig (14:01)

• Contrast with worldly peace:
  • Worldly peace is based on circumstances; God’s peace is internal, unshakeable, and present even in chaos. (15:08)

    “His peace is found when Jesus is close.” (15:38)

c. Peace of God

• What it is:
  • An active, guarding peace that transcends understanding—protecting our hearts and minds, even in hardship. (16:00–17:50)
• Key Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7—Presenting requests to God brings the “peace of God... which will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
• Metaphor:
  • Peace as a military guard, actively keeping fear and anxiety at bay.

  “It literally ... doesn’t just comfort you, but it protects you. Whenever fear tries to come along, peace says, you can’t come here.” (17:10)

4. Personal Story: The Peace that Surpasses Understanding

• Craig’s family crisis:
  • His daughter’s newborn suffered a birth emergency and the doctor reported likely brain damage. Craig describes a flood of fear and grief, projecting years of hardship. (18:54–21:09)
• His daughter’s response:
  • Despite devastating news, she repeatedly says, “Jesus loves her and Jesus loves us and it’s gonna be okay,” with childlike faith and peace.
• Miraculous outcome:
  • The baby is unexpectedly healed; doctors stunned. (22:22)
  • More profound for Craig: witnessing his daughter’s unshakable peace in crisis.

    “There were two miracles that day. One was that God healed little baby. The second one was that in the middle of horrific news, a little girl with faith in Jesus had the peace of God.” (22:58)

• Honest admission:
  • Not all prayers are answered so dramatically, and some situations remain unresolved—but God’s peace can still be experienced.

    “Even though there are some things in my life that are not the way I’d want them to be right now, I’m genuinely experiencing the peace of God. And you can, too.” (24:23)

5. How to Pursue and Experience God’s Peace

• Not by grasping, but trusting:

  “You can’t think your way into it. You trust your way into it.” (24:43)

• Three-fold peace:
  • Peace with God (settles your eternity)
  • Peace from God (strengthens you today)
  • Peace of God (guards your heart moment by moment)

6. The Name of Peace: Jesus

• Jesus IS our peace:
  • Regardless of diagnosis, family trouble, prodigal children, financial pressure, or anxiety—His peace is steady and cannot be taken away. (25:58)
• Salvation invitation:
  • To experience ultimate peace, it starts with a relationship with Jesus—believing, surrendering, and receiving His forgiveness. (30:06–32:36)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On unmet expectations of peace:

  “Why does God promise us peace but so many of us don't yet feel it?” (03:23)

• On holiday emotions:

  “Christmas is a multiplier. Whatever emotion you feel, it tends to multiply it.” (00:26)

• On justification and peace with God:

  “Notice that peace with God doesn't come from our religious efforts. It doesn't come from us trying harder... but it comes by being justified through faith in Jesus.” (08:15)

• On supernatural peace:

  “It’s not something that you find or it’s not something that you achieve, but it’s something only God can give.” (14:35)

• On guarding peace:

  “It literally, it doesn’t just comfort you, but it protects you... When anxiety comes in peace says, oh, no, no, no, no.” (17:10)

• On experiencing peace in crisis:

  “She literally believed it... because of her faith, she had the peace of God.” (21:48–22:55)

• On walking with God through both resolution and tension:

  “But he doesn't always do miracles the way that we'd want him to... even though there are some things in my life that are not the way I'd want them to be right now, I’m genuinely experiencing the peace of God.” (23:17–24:23)

• On trusting, not thinking:

  “You can't think your way into it. You trust your way into it.” (24:43)

• On the unlosable nature of Christ’s peace:

  “Jesus didn’t come to give you a peace that you could lose. Jesus came to give you a peace that the world can’t take away.” (25:58)

• On salvation:

  “How are you made right with God? You're justified with God by faith in the perfect work of Jesus.” (31:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:26–02:32: Common holiday emotions, survey results, feeling unseen/unloved, grief at Christmas
• 03:14–04:13: Introduction of the day’s main question about God’s promise of peace
• 04:15–05:43: Isaiah’s prophecy of the Prince of Peace
• 06:38–07:08: The gospel—a promise of peace
• 07:08–09:19: What it means to have peace with God; justification by faith
• 09:19–12:33: Illustration: Traffic court story; personal experience of justification
• 13:52–15:08: Peace from God—Jesus’ peace, not as the world gives
• 16:00–17:50: The peace of God; scripture from Philippians 4
• 18:54–22:27: Craig’s family story of crisis and miraculous peace
• 24:43–25:16: How to receive peace—not by thinking, but trusting
• 25:48–26:55: Jesus as the name and source of peace
• 30:06–32:36: Call to salvation; receiving “peace with God” through Christ

Conclusion

This episode offers a deeply personal and practical exploration of why many struggle to feel God’s peace—even at Christmas—and how real, unshakeable peace is found. Through stories, biblical teaching, and transparent reflection, Craig Groeschel calls listeners to trust not just in the idea of peace, but in the person of Jesus, who gives peace with God, peace from God, and the peace of God, no matter the circumstances.

Key Takeaway:

“Jesus didn’t come to give you a peace you could lose; He came to give you a peace that the world can't take away.” (25:58)
Peace has a name—Jesus—and it’s available to all who trust in Him.