We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with

“We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.” — Thomas Merton

Listen, O seeker of stillness, for these words from Thomas Merton, the monk and mystic, resound like a bell in the silence of the soul. In this single sentence, he unveils the chain that binds humanity’s unrest — a sacred order of harmony and its disruption. He speaks not merely of nations at war or of men quarreling in the streets, but of the deeper battle that rages within every heart. For Merton knew that true peace — with others, with oneself, and with God — is not built upon treaties or polite smiles, but upon the quiet reconciliation of the spirit. Until man makes peace with the divine, all other peace remains a fragile illusion.

The origin of these words lies in Merton’s own pilgrimage from chaos to contemplation. Born into the modern world’s noise, he tasted ambition, pleasure, and the vain pursuits of intellect before hearing the whisper that drew him to God. In the monastery of Gethsemani, amid the stillness of prayer and solitude, Merton discerned the source of the world’s restlessness. He saw that men, estranged from God, become estranged from themselves — chasing identity in noise, power, and possession. Without inner harmony, every relationship becomes a mirror of conflict. From this revelation came his timeless truth: peace begins where faith is restored, for the human heart cannot rest in itself; it finds rest only in the One who made it.

To be at peace with God is to stand in the light of truth, humble and unafraid. It is to know that you are not your failures, nor your triumphs, but a beloved creation of the Eternal. When man forgets this — when he exiles God from his heart — confusion takes root. The soul becomes divided, torn between desire and guilt, pride and fear. In that division, there can be no peace. A man who wars within himself will soon war with others, for the storm inside him will spill outward. Inner peace and divine communion are not luxuries; they are the foundations of human harmony.

Consider, O listener, the story of Saint Augustine, who wandered long in search of fulfillment. He sought pleasure, philosophy, and honor — and found only emptiness. His soul, restless and weary, cried out until he discovered God. When he turned his heart heavenward, the war within him ceased, and his famous words were born: “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” From that moment, Augustine became a vessel of peace, his transformation radiating outward to others. So too, Merton teaches, that peace among men begins when a single soul lays down its rebellion against its Creator.

In the modern world, where conflict often begins in misunderstanding and ends in bitterness, Merton’s insight is more vital than ever. We strive to build peace through politics, through systems, through words — yet we neglect the soil from which all peace must grow: the heart. Nations are merely the reflections of the souls that compose them. How can the world be calm if its people are restless? How can societies unite when individuals are divided within? To restore peace among men, we must restore reverence for the divine. When man remembers God, he rediscovers himself; when he rediscovers himself, he learns to see his brother not as rival, but as mirror — another soul beloved by the same Maker.

The lesson of this quote, therefore, is one of holy order: peace with God births peace within; peace within births peace with others. To seek this harmony, one must begin with prayer and reflection — to enter the quiet chamber of the heart and listen for the still voice that speaks truth. Forgive yourself as you seek forgiveness from God. Let go of pride, resentment, and fear, for they are the architects of unrest. Only the heart emptied of self can be filled with peace. The journey toward reconciliation with others begins in the unseen work of the soul — in confession, in humility, in love.

So, O child of dust and spirit, take these words as both comfort and command. Do not look for peace in the applause of men or the conquest of power. Seek it first in the sacred stillness where God abides. For when your soul is at rest with its Creator, you will find that the world itself softens — that enemies seem less like enemies, that burdens grow lighter, and that life becomes radiant with meaning. As Thomas Merton taught, the path to peace does not lead outward, but inward — and from that inward light, the whole world may be illuminated. Be at peace with God, and all things will fall into harmony.