Lessons on Godly Living During Peaceful Times

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 2 Chronicles 14:1-8

So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

Peace is not Pointless

When reading through the history of the Jews, it seems like it was non-stop turmoil. There was always some enemy threatening or some danger looming. However, there were also times of peace and prosperity. The question is: how should we use these seasons of peace? How can we glorify God and prepare for future battles?

Do What is Good and Right in God’s Eyes (v2)

For ten years of Asa’s reign, there was peace. What joy and blessing come when God brings peace to the land and to our lives! This was a high point for Asa and the Jews—a time of peace, prosperity, and growth.

We read in verse two that he did what was “good and right”. I don’t know of anyone who tries to do evil, nor have I met anyone who wants to be wrong. We all aim to do and be “good”, but scripture elaborates on this by qualifying this with “in the eyes of Jehova”. Looking through scripture, when men have bountiful freedom and peace to do whatever seems “good”, they make war, become drunk, seek after women, become bored and fall into sinful behavior. The Tower of Babel. Jeroboam. King Herod. Solomon’s idolatry.

Even today, men continue to hate and be selfish and justify it. From shooting at someone who has a different opinion to a random stabbing on a subway to rejoicing at the death of an opponent, it is clear that the natural man’s thoguhts are on evil continually. This depravity applies to the believer as well. I can convince myself that lying is acceptable and probably even “good” under certain circumstances. So, it is not just that Asa did what seemed good, but that he did what was good in God’s eyes. His standard never wavers; His definition of good does not bend to personal feelings or shifting culture.

Remove Idols and Distractions (vv. 3-5)

Asa used this time of peace to reset the nation’s attention back to their holy God. He did this in two ways. The first was to remove the idols, tear down the altars, and destroy images to false gods. He saw these false gods as distractions that made the nation weak, spiritually as well as physically.

Today, many of us have false gods in the form of egotistic habits, a lack of discernment in entertainment, rebellious attitudes, and possessions that pull us away from God. We can pretend that they are not real, or that our personal idols are not as bad as others, but the reality is that we must own up to it, recoginze these toxic thoughts, behaviors, and activities, and be willing, like Asa, to tear them down and remove them from our lives.

One of the worst idols in modern Christianity is the screen. I once read a quote attributed to Billy Graham stating that, “the television will be the fall of American family devotions.” Screens are not sinful in themselves, but when they dominate our hearts, they master us. They promise rest but deliver distraction; they promise connection but often leave us isolated. Every hour surrendered to endless scrolling is an hour stolen from prayer, from the Word, from family, from fruitful service. If we do not break their hold, screens will quietly become the altars before which whole families bow.

Asa “commanded Judah to seek the Lord.” Let us command our own hearts the same way. We manage to drag ourselves out of bed for work, for duty, even for vanity. Can we not also rouse ourselves for prayer, worship, and Bible study?

Build Strong Defenses (vv. 6-8)

Asa does not stop with tearing down idols. Just removing the bad is never enough. He also built fortified cities with walls, gates, and defense towers, and he prepared a large army. He used peace to prepare for war.

The Lord Jesus warned that when an unclean spirit is cast out, if the house is left empty, it will return with seven more (Matt. 12:43–45). In the same way, if we remove sin but fail to grow spiritually, we remain vulnerable. Peaceful times are the perfect opportunity to strengthen our defenses.

For the believer, these defenses take many forms:

  • establishing a habit of Scripture reading
  • creating a prayer list and faithfully interceding for others
  • memorizing scripture
  • practicing hospitality—opening our homes for fellowship and encouragement

Strong defenses go beyond individual habits. Families can build defenses by gathering regularly for worship and honest conversation. Churches can build defenses by maintaining unity, sound teaching, and accountability relationships. These walls may not be made of stone, but they are just as essential to withstanding the assaults of the enemy.

Again, if you only remove sin but do not replace it with holiness, you leave a dangerous gap in your soul. Peaceful times are given so that we can build strength that will endure when storms come.

Conclusion: Peace is Preparation

Asa’s actions teach us that peace is not a time to simply relax and enjoy ourselves. Peace never lasts forever in this life. Trials will come. The only question is whether we will be ready when they do.

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