Finding Peace

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:16

The Foundation for All Peace

Prior to a speaking event not so long ago, a staff member and I were enjoying a meal on the West Coast. While the young waitress attended our table during the meal, I asked her: “If you could ask God for anything in your life, what would you ask Him to do for you?”

Without hesitation, she answered: “I’d ask for peace.”

A tear made its way down her cheek as she shared with us about her beloved grandmother’s death a few days before.

As she shared her story, I learned no one in her family believed in God—and neither did she. She’d not consciously rejected Him. All she knew was there was a deep restlessness inside, but she had no understanding about how to resolve that inner turmoil, or even what lay at the root of it. Like many people, she was living day to day, not having much purpose or meaning in her life.

This young woman represents so many in our society today—going through the motions, striving to make ends meet, seeking a way where there seems to be no way, and trying to make sense of it all.

Too often, there seems to be no adequate answers to our human dilemma—especially to the question of why we feel so empty, void, and lacking peace. Furthermore, there appears to be no satisfactory reason for us to keep putting out our best efforts and still suffering with life’s adversities.

The young waitress serving us explained the issue in her terms by saying, “I need peace.” Others would say, “I’m so lonely.” Some would say, “If my spouse would only love me as he/she should, then I’d be happy.” Different variations but all the same melody: “There’s something wrong … I’m not happy. I have no peace. What’s wrong with me?”

Most who are victims of the messages of our secular society experience this void and don’t equate their problem with God. We’re constantly bombarded with society’s claims: “If only you were thinner, dressed with more style, drove a Jaguar, lived in a better part of town, made more money …” the list goes on and on. But none of the aforementioned highly-prized answers to our problems or any of the hundreds of others offered to us can permanently and satisfactorily provide what we desperately crave.

The young waitress had it right: Most of us feel strongly that we need something more—and the all-encompassing word that so well describes it is peace.

And as a pastor for more than six decades, I can tell you that until you have peace with God, you will never experience true peace in this life. 

Scripture: John 14:27

The Peace God Gives

If you’re a student of the Bible, I’m sure you’ve noticed that God’s perspective is often given in the form of comparison and contrast. For example, He often contrasted the rich and the poor, the wise and foolish, darkness and light, and with respect to our topic, the peace that comes from God as opposed to the peace found in this world. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives …” (John 14:27).

Clearly, the Master was stating that the peace He gave His followers was different from the peace they could find in the world. When Jesus referred to “the world,” He was speaking of the society and culture in which we humans live.

Have you ever been on a troubled sea? I’ve experienced storms at sea on several occasions and frankly, I’ve no desire to repeat the experience! On the surface, the winds can sweep across the sea at 40, 60, 100 miles an hour, with blowing rain, lightning, thunder, and an overpowering darkness. Waves can rise to 20, 30, even 50 feet high. A ship in such a storm can be tossed about like a toy boat. It’s easy for an oceangoing craft to be lost in such storms. But underneath the surface, just 100 feet down, there’s no storm. All is perfectly quiet. No sound. No tumult. Not even a ripple of turmoil. 

This remarkable fact makes me think of God’s peace. It gives me an inkling of what our Lord must’ve been talking about when He promised His disciples His peace. He told them because they were His followers, they’d have trouble in this world. In fact, He claimed that some of them would be persecuted because they were His disciples. But in spite of this, He promised He’d never leave those who followed Him, and His constant presence would be the means whereby they could experience His peace. 

When fears, anxieties, and troubles arise in your life, look for the following signs of God’s peace as it …

· Transcends circumstances. Often, peace is more readily seen and felt in the midst of trial and trouble. But regardless of what you’re experiencing, know this: God is your peace. Put your faith in Him.

· Surpasses understanding. The peace of God is not something we can always figure out. But it’s operative and available to us—far beyond our ability to understand it. 

· Extends to all His followers. God’s peace is extended to every person who accepts Jesus as their Savior, turns from their sin, and pursues a life in obedience to the guidance of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.

· Is an abiding state of being. In the difficult circumstances of life, the Holy Spirit is present to help. Peace—deep, genuine, God-given peace—can be the “norm” in which you live day to day.

As you move forward in the journey of life, trust and believe that God’s desire for you is to feel an abiding peace at all times—a peace that includes joy and a feeling of purpose in every area of your life.

Scriptures: James 4:7, John 14:27

Why We Lose Our Peace

There’s only one way to experience an abiding peace that transcends circumstances—by faith. Faith is the foundation for living in God’s peace—an active, confident trust in His presence and power to sustain and comfort you, no matter the circumstance you face. There are, however, certain issues that can undermine our faith and rob us of our peace. Let’s consider a few of them:

1. Sudden Fear—Some people are so accustomed to responding to every little dip and rise of life with fear and small doses of panic that they can’t even imagine there’s another way to respond. They’re so upset by change of all types that it never dawns on them they can live with greater emotional stability.

2. The Enemy—We can be attacked by our enemy, the devil, who may use various means to cause us to doubt and lose faith in our God. But we must stand up to him. Scripture urges us to resist the devil, and when we do, he will flee from us (James 4:7). 

3. Sin—Peace and rebellion cannot co-exist. The only recourse is to confess sin to God, surrender to Him, and ask for His help in turning from and resisting all temptation. Then, God’s peace can flow once again. 

4. Giving Up Peace—In times of crisis, we sometimes lay down our peace willingly. We give it up. Concede it. Abandon it. Always remember that no one can take our peace from us; we have to surrender it. And as such, we’re the only ones who can take it back.

5. Losing Focus—We can allow the myriad of bad-news scenarios we hear and read about every day to cause us to lose our correct focus. Instead of having our minds set on God and trusting Him for His peace and presence, we allow our thoughts to get sidetracked and galvanized by the negative news and circumstances we see and hear. 

Because God is with us, we don’t have to give in to, sink beneath, or become defeated by our troubles. We can face, confront, challenge, deal, and in the end overcome them in the power of the cross. Jesus taught His followers that all troubles are passing in nature for a season … and a reason. So “let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:27). Hold on to the peace that God gives, confident that He’s watching, directing, and caring for those who trust and believe in Him.

Scriptures: Colossians 1:17, Psalms 34:10, Psalms 139:13-16, 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:10

5 Essential Beliefs for a Peaceful Heart

If you’re a Christian, God alone is in charge of your life. He’s your security. And He’s never been out of control over His creation for one fraction of a second since the beginning of time. He hasn’t lost one measure of His power or might. He’s just as omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and all loving today as He was at the dawn of man. 

Though we may not always understand His purposes, understanding the ways of God always leads to an understanding that He’ll act in a way that brings about eternal blessings for His children. Through the years, I’ve discovered five essential beliefs for a peaceful heart. I challenge you to take a long, hard look at what you believe about God. Your peace is determined by the degree to which these truths are embedded in your soul.

Belief 1: God is absolutely sovereign.

Recognizing and accepting the truth that God is sovereign over everything is vital for your inner peace. This means that nothing related to you is beyond His watchful eye and loving care. (Col. 1:17)

Belief 2: God is your provider.

From cover to cover, the Bible has a clear message that God is the One who provides for all your needs. No need is too massive, problematic, or severe for Jesus to meet it. The Bible tells us, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Ps. 34:10).

Belief 3: God made you the way you are for a purpose.

There are many things about your life in which you have no control. Accept those things as part of the way God created you. Your race, culture, language, nationality, sex, and many attributes of your physical being are God’s “choices.” He also gave you talents, aptitudes, intelligence, personality, and spiritual gifts that, taken as a whole, make you a unique person on this earth to fulfill the plan He has for you. (Ps. 139:13-16)

Belief 4: God has a place where you truly belong.

God created you for fellowship with Himself and others. Trust Him to help you gain a strong sense of belonging to Him and to provide for you a “family” of fellow believers to whom you can belong. Then, as you grow in Him, reach out to others. (1 Pet. 2:9).

Belief 5: God has a plan for your fulfillment.

For real inner peace, a person needs to know that he or she is competent, able, capable, and skilled at doing something. There’s a wonderful sense of peace that comes when you know you’re capable of putting in a good performance or doing a good job. (Eph. 2:10)

When you accept these five essential beliefs at the core of your being and trust that God is working in you and on your behalf, inner peace will truly be yours.

Scriptures: Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:6-7, Philippians 4:9

How Your Thought Life Affects Your Peace

If we’re being honest with ourselves, most of us aren’t who or what we think we are. Our thinking is marred at best, off-track, and in most cases, needs to be changed.

How do I know this to be true? Aside from my experience pastoring so many through the years, God’s Word calls us to a “renewal” of our minds. That means trading in our old perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and self-centered attitudes for a new set of perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that God develops in us. These godly responses are nurtured by regular reading of Scripture and meditating on what’s been read in the Bible. Christ’s followers are urged to avoid being “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).

Out of a renewal of our thinking comes a change in our speech patterns and our behaviors. As our speech and behavior become renewed, our relationships with others become renewed. And as our relationships become renewed, our immediate world is renewed as well. It all begins in the mind with what we choose to think and what we choose to dwell upon.

You have the ability to determine what you’ll think. At any time, you can refocus your mind to a new topic, task, or problem to solve instead of negative thinking that will steal your peace and/or cause you to venture into rebellion or sin. You have the ability to say, “I choose to trust God,” in any situation you face or thought you have.

Furthermore, any child of God who takes a willful stand against thought patterns that clearly are harmful is going to be provided a way of escape from that circumstance. God will help you focus your mind on something other than your problem or bad thought pattern if you will make the initial step in His direction. 

When you guard your mind, you guard your peace. When you offer prayers to God with faith and thanksgiving—no matter what trials you face—He assures you inner peace (Phil. 4:6-7). And when you focus your thinking on what’s true, noble, virtuous, lovely, pure, and praiseworthy, you rely upon God with increasing faith and trust. 

You can never fully exhaust your ability to think about the goodness and greatness of God. Choose to respond to life the way Jesus responded. Guard your prayer life. Guard your thought life. Seek the Father and all that’s godly. His Word promises that when you fill your mind with what is virtuous and praiseworthy, “the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9).Continue

Scriptures: 1 Peter 1:22, Philippians 3:13

Living Without Regret

I remember slowly hanging up the phone and then saying as I sighed deeply, “Well … it’s happened.” 

The voice on the other end of the phone was an attorney, notifying me my wife had filed for divorce. 

I’d lived with threats of divorce for many years. Yet even so, I was stunned by the news I was given. 

Over the next several days, many different emotions and thoughts tumbled through my heart and mind. I didn’t want a divorce. I didn’t know exactly how to proceed to keep a divorce from happening. I didn’t know who to tell, or how I should tell them. I knew eventually I’d need to tell the entire congregation of the church I pastored, and I had no guarantee about how the board or the congregants would respond. The only certainty was the pressure of preparing for and delivering next Sunday’s sermon.

Even as my mind raced a million miles a second, I knew with absolute certainty deep within my heart these truths: 

· God was not surprised by this action taken against me.

· God was in control of my life—He’d allowed this to happen for His purposes as part of His plan for me.

· He’d promised in His Word never to leave me nor forsake me. He’d promised to be right by my side every step of the way; and therefore, all things would ultimately be for my eternal benefit if I’d only continue to trust Him fully.

The immediate facts of the situation created turmoil. The unchanging truth about God created peace.

Almost eight years after the attorney’s phone call, the divorce my wife sought was legally granted to her.

People have said to me in the years since: “Surely you must regret the loss of your marriage … that you failed in your fight to save your marriage … that all your efforts toward reconciliation didn’t work.”

My outward response has been mostly silence. My real, inward response to such comments is, Saddened, yes. Regret, no. 

While I’m saddened that my marriage ended in divorce, I don’t live with an abiding sense of regret. Why? Because regret is rooted in unresolved guilt. I knew I had peace with God, and regret and guilt are therefore not part of my life.

I’ve found the best way to live without regret is to maintain a clear conscience. Choose to live in such a way that you do your best in every task and relationship, giving your best effort to live in a godly manner. Choose to trust God in every area of your life—not just the easy ones. Choose to obey Him and keep His commandments. Choose to forgive others fully. And choose the path God reveals for you to follow.

While no one can do all of this in their own power, with the Holy Spirit residing in us, we can turn from all forms of temptation to pursue peace with ourselves and others—and continue the good works God has authorized for us to do. 

Scriptures: Matthew 6:25-26, 2 Timothy 1:7

Giving Up Anxiety

Anxiety is a problem we all will deal with at one time or another. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: 

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matt. 6:25-26)

The Greek word for “anxious” in this passage means “distracted.” It’s a word that refers to uncertainty. That’s what anxiety produces in us. It gives us a feeling of, What next? It’s a feeling that the rug has been pulled out from underneath us and we have no idea if we’re going to fall, how hard, in what direction, or onto what.

The word “anxious” is also translated as “worry” in the Bible. For many people, worry has become a way of life. If that describes you, I encourage you to read again the words of Jesus. His words are not a suggestion—they’re a command.

You may say, “I can’t help feeling anxious, I’ve always been a worrier.” I’ve heard that from many people through the years. My response is, “Yes you can.”

There’s nothing about a circumstance that automatically creates anxiety. Anxiety occurs because of the way we respond to a problem or troubling situation. Your ability to choose is part of God’s gift of free will to every human being. You can choose how you feel. You can choose what you think about, and you can choose how you will respond to a circumstance. It certainly isn’t God’s purpose for you to feel anxious—He doesn’t allow situations in your life so you’ll have anxiety. The Father may allow a situation in your life to develop stronger faith, grow and mature, or change a bad habit or negative attitude. But God doesn’t set you up for anxiety. He’s always at work to bring you to a place where you’ll trust Him more, obey Him more fully, and receive more of His blessings.

You can fall into a downward spiral of anxiety. Or you can say, “Father, I bring this to You. It’s beyond my control. I feel helpless in this situation, but You have the power to change what I’m facing. You love me perfectly, and I’m trusting You to handle what concerns me in the way You see fit. I know whatever You’ve planned for me is for my good. I look forward to seeing the way You choose to express Your love, wisdom, and power.”

Friend, this is the way of peace—the road out of anxiety and worry.

Scripture: Romans 12:18

Living in Peace With Others 

It’s a challenge we each face regularly: How can we live in peace with other people and restore peace when conflict erupts? 

The fact is, God desires for us to live in peace with others. He also knows that we’ll not always be at peace with others. Conflicts occur. At times, conflicts aren’t easily resolved. In fact, there are occasions when conflicts cannot be resolved. However, God wants us to do all we can to be at peace with everyone.

We who are followers of Christ know full well that when God isn’t in full control of our lives, we can act just as despicably as an unbeliever. Our salvation doesn’t automatically keep us from being mean, jealous, hateful, or angry. It’s only as we ask the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, only as we yield our nature to His nature, only as we seek to be His representatives on this earth in every relationship we have that we’re going to move beyond pride into the behaviors that establish peace.

So how do we deal with conflict when it arises and establish a peaceful outcome?

First, determine the value of the relationship. If you’re going to live in peace with another person, you have to decide, “Is this relationship valuable enough to me to preserve it? Am I willing to compromise on some things to make the relationship work?” I firmly believe that those who are saved by grace and indwelled by the Holy Spirit can find genuine peace in their relationship when both value the maintenance of the relationship.

Second, start talking … and keep talking. When two people are talking—and willing to keep talking and listening to each other—they’re much more likely to quickly find resolution to their conflicts and live in peace with each other.

Third, be transparent. You can’t have a hidden agenda or a manipulative scheme at work in the back of your mind and hope for a peaceful relationship. Being open and honest with others when conflicts arise helps you to reach peaceful solutions in your relationships.

Finally, get to the core of the problem. As you communicate openly with others, taking an honest look at what is at the root of the conflict, you’ll be better able to work through any difficulty and establish peace.

As you strive to live at peace with others, standing on the truth of God’s Word, know that God stands with you. He will turn any conflict or persecution you experience to your eternal benefit. He’ll bring about spiritual growth, greater faith, and stronger enduring power within you. 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 19

Overcoming Fear 

Many people think the opposite of fear is hope, courage, or strength. The true opposite of fear is faith. And when fear causes paralysis, it not only quenches one’s peace, but it attacks the foundation of that peace—namely, our faith. Peace goes out the window when fear is present. 

Much of fear is rooted in doubt that God will be present, provide justice or help, or be capable of dealing with the crisis at hand. Faith says, “Yes, God is here. Yes, God will provide. Yes, God is capable of all things!”

Much of fear is rooted in threats—sometimes threatening words, sometimes threatening behavior. Faith says, “I will not be traumatized by threats. I will act wisely, not fearfully. I believe God will prevent whatever the threat is from ever coming to pass. And if the threat does come to pass, I believe God will help me deal with whatever is thrown at me.”

When Saul, king of Israel, realized that God had taken His hand of anointing and blessing from him (because of his arrogance and disobedience) and had placed it instead upon the young man, David, he was furious. He began a campaign to find David and kill him—to remove this threat from his life (1 Sam. 19). On the other hand, David felt threatened by Saul’s army and on several occasions feared for his life. But Scripture tells us that David was strengthened by God’s promises to protect him and one day make him king of Israel.

In our modern world, we often read of people who, in spite of intimidation by disease, accident, or danger, pressed ahead to uncertain outcomes—rejection, defeat, and, yes, sometimes victory. Arctic explorers, Olympic athletes, missionaries, venture capitalists, and philanthropists come to mind. So threats do not have to stymie and cripple us.

Our challenge in times of threat is not to focus on what might become a reality, but rather, to focus on what we can count on being true.

Many people are living under a dark cloud of threat today. Some are experiencing the threat of disease, some are facing the threats of injury to their children, and some are hearing threats related to the loss of their job.

The answer to all these types of threats is faith in what we know to be true about God and about His love and care for us and His ability to provide for all we need—especially His peace, which can help carry us through anything.

Scriptures: Colossians 3:2, Deuteronomy 31:8

Learning to Live in Contentment

To live in inner contentment, the entire focus of your life must be the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I’ve had short periods in my life when a particular problem or situation would cause me nights of tossing and turning, hour after hour, unable to sleep. I’ve discovered the best thing I can do when I can’t seem to let go of thinking about a particular problem, conversation, or criticism, is to get out of bed, get down on my knees, and cry out to God: “Please help me through this. Help me focus on You alone.”

Sleep comes when my focus is on the Lord and on how He’d have me think or respond in my emotions to a particular situation. Sleep is elusive when I allow my focus to shift to what others have said, all the things that might happen, or the difficulty of a challenge that lies ahead. The choice is quite simple—think about the Lord and His abundant provision, protection, and love, or think about all the people and circumstances trying to rob you of provision, destroy your life, or heap hatred upon you.

Thinking about the Lord brings a person peace. Thinking about anything else is usually a shortcut to anxiety, fear, or worry. 

When you focus on the Lord, it’s important that you see Him as being in your situation with you, right at that moment. Too many people think of God being far away. They don’t see God as being accessible or available to them in the immediacy of their lives. The truth is, He’s present with us in every moment of every day.

I can remember the most peaceful place I’ve ever been—the Sea of Galilee. Years ago, I was at a spot by the sea that seemed to me the very definition of peace and tranquility. However, in today’s world, most people probably wouldn’t think of that area as being peaceful. It’s only a few dozen miles to Syria and Lebanon from there. People tend to think of Israel as a hot spot in the world, a place of virtually no peace.

But I felt great peace there. Why? Because I felt the Lord there. I sensed His presence.

It’s easy for me to close my eyes and see the Lord walking right beside me along the Sea of Galilee. I also find it easy and beneficial to envision the Lord walking right beside me in any number of beautiful natural settings I’ve experienced around the world.

It’s not these environments that give peace. It’s the awareness of God that I feel in my heart when I’m in these environments that produces peace. It’s that sense of “God with me” that’s important for me to recapture, envision, to see with spiritual eyes, when times of trouble hit my life.

Friend, no matter where you are at any given time, Jesus is the source of your contentment. See the Lord walking with you in peace. Sense His presence. Become aware of His awesome power and authority over your life. When by faith you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, living with the assurance of His presence and provision in your life, I promise you will experience true peace.

Scripture: John 14:27

The Peace God Gives

If you’re a student of the Bible, I’m sure you’ve noticed that God’s perspective is often given in the form of comparison and contrast. For example, He often contrasted the rich and the poor, the wise and foolish, darkness and light, and with respect to our topic, the peace that comes from God as opposed to the peace found in this world. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives …” (John 14:27).

Clearly, the Master was stating that the peace He gave His followers was different from the peace they could find in the world. When Jesus referred to “the world,” He was speaking of the society and culture in which we humans live.

Have you ever been on a troubled sea? I’ve experienced storms at sea on several occasions and frankly, I’ve no desire to repeat the experience! On the surface, the winds can sweep across the sea at 40, 60, 100 miles an hour, with blowing rain, lightning, thunder, and an overpowering darkness. Waves can rise to 20, 30, even 50 feet high. A ship in such a storm can be tossed about like a toy boat. It’s easy for an oceangoing craft to be lost in such storms. But underneath the surface, just 100 feet down, there’s no storm. All is perfectly quiet. No sound. No tumult. Not even a ripple of turmoil. 

This remarkable fact makes me think of God’s peace. It gives me an inkling of what our Lord must’ve been talking about when He promised His disciples His peace. He told them because they were His followers, they’d have trouble in this world. In fact, He claimed that some of them would be persecuted because they were His disciples. But in spite of this, He promised He’d never leave those who followed Him, and His constant presence would be the means whereby they could experience His peace. 

When fears, anxieties, and troubles arise in your life, look for the following signs of God’s peace as it …

· Transcends circumstances. Often, peace is more readily seen and felt in the midst of trial and trouble. But regardless of what you’re experiencing, know this: God is your peace. Put your faith in Him.

· Surpasses understanding. The peace of God is not something we can always figure out. But it’s operative and available to us—far beyond our ability to understand it. 

· Extends to all His followers. God’s peace is extended to every person who accepts Jesus as their Savior, turns from their sin, and pursues a life in obedience to the guidance of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.

· Is an abiding state of being. In the difficult circumstances of life, the Holy Spirit is present to help. Peace—deep, genuine, God-given peace—can be the “norm” in which you live day to day.

As you move forward in the journey of life, trust and believe that God’s desire for you is to feel an abiding peace at all times—a peace that includes joy and a feeling of purpose in every area of your life.

Scriptures: James 4:7, John 14:27

Why We Lose Our Peace

There’s only one way to experience an abiding peace that transcends circumstances—by faith. Faith is the foundation for living in God’s peace—an active, confident trust in His presence and power to sustain and comfort you, no matter the circumstance you face. There are, however, certain issues that can undermine our faith and rob us of our peace. Let’s consider a few of them:

1. Sudden Fear—Some people are so accustomed to responding to every little dip and rise of life with fear and small doses of panic that they can’t even imagine there’s another way to respond. They’re so upset by change of all types that it never dawns on them they can live with greater emotional stability.

2. The Enemy—We can be attacked by our enemy, the devil, who may use various means to cause us to doubt and lose faith in our God. But we must stand up to him. Scripture urges us to resist the devil, and when we do, he will flee from us (James 4:7). 

3. Sin—Peace and rebellion cannot co-exist. The only recourse is to confess sin to God, surrender to Him, and ask for His help in turning from and resisting all temptation. Then, God’s peace can flow once again. 

4. Giving Up Peace—In times of crisis, we sometimes lay down our peace willingly. We give it up. Concede it. Abandon it. Always remember that no one can take our peace from us; we have to surrender it. And as such, we’re the only ones who can take it back.

5. Losing Focus—We can allow the myriad of bad-news scenarios we hear and read about every day to cause us to lose our correct focus. Instead of having our minds set on God and trusting Him for His peace and presence, we allow our thoughts to get sidetracked and galvanized by the negative news and circumstances we see and hear. 

Because God is with us, we don’t have to give in to, sink beneath, or become defeated by our troubles. We can face, confront, challenge, deal, and in the end overcome them in the power of the cross. Jesus taught His followers that all troubles are passing in nature for a season … and a reason. So “let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:27). Hold on to the peace that God gives, confident that He’s watching, directing, and caring for those who trust and believe in Him.

Scriptures: Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:6-7, Philippians 4:9

How Your Thought Life Affects Your Peace

If we’re being honest with ourselves, most of us aren’t who or what we think we are. Our thinking is marred at best, off-track, and in most cases, needs to be changed.

How do I know this to be true? Aside from my experience pastoring so many through the years, God’s Word calls us to a “renewal” of our minds. That means trading in our old perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and self-centered attitudes for a new set of perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that God develops in us. These godly responses are nurtured by regular reading of Scripture and meditating on what’s been read in the Bible. Christ’s followers are urged to avoid being “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).

Out of a renewal of our thinking comes a change in our speech patterns and our behaviors. As our speech and behavior become renewed, our relationships with others become renewed. And as our relationships become renewed, our immediate world is renewed as well. It all begins in the mind with what we choose to think and what we choose to dwell upon.

You have the ability to determine what you’ll think. At any time, you can refocus your mind to a new topic, task, or problem to solve instead of negative thinking that will steal your peace and/or cause you to venture into rebellion or sin. You have the ability to say, “I choose to trust God,” in any situation you face or thought you have.

Furthermore, any child of God who takes a willful stand against thought patterns that clearly are harmful is going to be provided a way of escape from that circumstance. God will help you focus your mind on something other than your problem or bad thought pattern if you will make the initial step in His direction. 

When you guard your mind, you guard your peace. When you offer prayers to God with faith and thanksgiving—no matter what trials you face—He assures you inner peace (Phil. 4:6-7). And when you focus your thinking on what’s true, noble, virtuous, lovely, pure, and praiseworthy, you rely upon God with increasing faith and trust. 

You can never fully exhaust your ability to think about the goodness and greatness of God. Choose to respond to life the way Jesus responded. Guard your prayer life. Guard your thought life. Seek the Father and all that’s godly. His Word promises that when you fill your mind with what is virtuous and praiseworthy, “the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9).

Scriptures: 1 Peter 1:22, Philippians 3:13

Living Without Regret

I remember slowly hanging up the phone and then saying as I sighed deeply, “Well … it’s happened.” 

The voice on the other end of the phone was an attorney, notifying me my wife had filed for divorce. 

I’d lived with threats of divorce for many years. Yet even so, I was stunned by the news I was given. 

Over the next several days, many different emotions and thoughts tumbled through my heart and mind. I didn’t want a divorce. I didn’t know exactly how to proceed to keep a divorce from happening. I didn’t know who to tell, or how I should tell them. I knew eventually I’d need to tell the entire congregation of the church I pastored, and I had no guarantee about how the board or the congregants would respond. The only certainty was the pressure of preparing for and delivering next Sunday’s sermon.

Even as my mind raced a million miles a second, I knew with absolute certainty deep within my heart these truths: 

· God was not surprised by this action taken against me.

· God was in control of my life—He’d allowed this to happen for His purposes as part of His plan for me.

· He’d promised in His Word never to leave me nor forsake me. He’d promised to be right by my side every step of the way; and therefore, all things would ultimately be for my eternal benefit if I’d only continue to trust Him fully.

The immediate facts of the situation created turmoil. The unchanging truth about God created peace.

Almost eight years after the attorney’s phone call, the divorce my wife sought was legally granted to her.

People have said to me in the years since: “Surely you must regret the loss of your marriage … that you failed in your fight to save your marriage … that all your efforts toward reconciliation didn’t work.”

My outward response has been mostly silence. My real, inward response to such comments is, Saddened, yes. Regret, no. 

While I’m saddened that my marriage ended in divorce, I don’t live with an abiding sense of regret. Why? Because regret is rooted in unresolved guilt. I knew I had peace with God, and regret and guilt are therefore not part of my life.

I’ve found the best way to live without regret is to maintain a clear conscience. Choose to live in such a way that you do your best in every task and relationship, giving your best effort to live in a godly manner. Choose to trust God in every area of your life—not just the easy ones. Choose to obey Him and keep His commandments. Choose to forgive others fully. And choose the path God reveals for you to follow.

While no one can do all of this in their own power, with the Holy Spirit residing in us, we can turn from all forms of temptation to pursue peace with ourselves and others—and continue the good works God has authorized for us to do. 

Scripture: Romans 12:18

Living in Peace With Others 

It’s a challenge we each face regularly: How can we live in peace with other people and restore peace when conflict erupts? 

The fact is, God desires for us to live in peace with others. He also knows that we’ll not always be at peace with others. Conflicts occur. At times, conflicts aren’t easily resolved. In fact, there are occasions when conflicts cannot be resolved. However, God wants us to do all we can to be at peace with everyone.

We who are followers of Christ know full well that when God isn’t in full control of our lives, we can act just as despicably as an unbeliever. Our salvation doesn’t automatically keep us from being mean, jealous, hateful, or angry. It’s only as we ask the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, only as we yield our nature to His nature, only as we seek to be His representatives on this earth in every relationship we have that we’re going to move beyond pride into the behaviors that establish peace.

So how do we deal with conflict when it arises and establish a peaceful outcome?

First, determine the value of the relationship. If you’re going to live in peace with another person, you have to decide, “Is this relationship valuable enough to me to preserve it? Am I willing to compromise on some things to make the relationship work?” I firmly believe that those who are saved by grace and indwelled by the Holy Spirit can find genuine peace in their relationship when both value the maintenance of the relationship.

Second, start talking … and keep talking. When two people are talking—and willing to keep talking and listening to each other—they’re much more likely to quickly find resolution to their conflicts and live in peace with each other.

Third, be transparent. You can’t have a hidden agenda or a manipulative scheme at work in the back of your mind and hope for a peaceful relationship. Being open and honest with others when conflicts arise helps you to reach peaceful solutions in your relationships.

Finally, get to the core of the problem. As you communicate openly with others, taking an honest look at what is at the root of the conflict, you’ll be better able to work through any difficulty and establish peace.

As you strive to live at peace with others, standing on the truth of God’s Word, know that God stands with you. He will turn any conflict or persecution you experience to your eternal benefit. He’ll bring about spiritual growth, greater faith, and stronger enduring power within you. 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 19

Overcoming Fear 

Many people think the opposite of fear is hope, courage, or strength. The true opposite of fear is faith. And when fear causes paralysis, it not only quenches one’s peace, but it attacks the foundation of that peace—namely, our faith. Peace goes out the window when fear is present. 

Much of fear is rooted in doubt that God will be present, provide justice or help, or be capable of dealing with the crisis at hand. Faith says, “Yes, God is here. Yes, God will provide. Yes, God is capable of all things!”

Much of fear is rooted in threats—sometimes threatening words, sometimes threatening behavior. Faith says, “I will not be traumatized by threats. I will act wisely, not fearfully. I believe God will prevent whatever the threat is from ever coming to pass. And if the threat does come to pass, I believe God will help me deal with whatever is thrown at me.”

When Saul, king of Israel, realized that God had taken His hand of anointing and blessing from him (because of his arrogance and disobedience) and had placed it instead upon the young man, David, he was furious. He began a campaign to find David and kill him—to remove this threat from his life (1 Sam. 19). On the other hand, David felt threatened by Saul’s army and on several occasions feared for his life. But Scripture tells us that David was strengthened by God’s promises to protect him and one day make him king of Israel.

In our modern world, we often read of people who, in spite of intimidation by disease, accident, or danger, pressed ahead to uncertain outcomes—rejection, defeat, and, yes, sometimes victory. Arctic explorers, Olympic athletes, missionaries, venture capitalists, and philanthropists come to mind. So threats do not have to stymie and cripple us.

Our challenge in times of threat is not to focus on what might become a reality, but rather, to focus on what we can count on being true.

Many people are living under a dark cloud of threat today. Some are experiencing the threat of disease, some are facing the threats of injury to their children, and some are hearing threats related to the loss of their job.

The answer to all these types of threats is faith in what we know to be true about God and about His love and care for us and His ability to provide for all we need—especially His peace, which can help carry us through anything.

Scriptures: Colossians 3:2, Deuteronomy 31:8

Learning to Live in Contentment

To live in inner contentment, the entire focus of your life must be the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I’ve had short periods in my life when a particular problem or situation would cause me nights of tossing and turning, hour after hour, unable to sleep. I’ve discovered the best thing I can do when I can’t seem to let go of thinking about a particular problem, conversation, or criticism, is to get out of bed, get down on my knees, and cry out to God: “Please help me through this. Help me focus on You alone.”

Sleep comes when my focus is on the Lord and on how He’d have me think or respond in my emotions to a particular situation. Sleep is elusive when I allow my focus to shift to what others have said, all the things that might happen, or the difficulty of a challenge that lies ahead. The choice is quite simple—think about the Lord and His abundant provision, protection, and love, or think about all the people and circumstances trying to rob you of provision, destroy your life, or heap hatred upon you.

Thinking about the Lord brings a person peace. Thinking about anything else is usually a shortcut to anxiety, fear, or worry. 

When you focus on the Lord, it’s important that you see Him as being in your situation with you, right at that moment. Too many people think of God being far away. They don’t see God as being accessible or available to them in the immediacy of their lives. The truth is, He’s present with us in every moment of every day.

I can remember the most peaceful place I’ve ever been—the Sea of Galilee. Years ago, I was at a spot by the sea that seemed to me the very definition of peace and tranquility. However, in today’s world, most people probably wouldn’t think of that area as being peaceful. It’s only a few dozen miles to Syria and Lebanon from there. People tend to think of Israel as a hot spot in the world, a place of virtually no peace.

But I felt great peace there. Why? Because I felt the Lord there. I sensed His presence.

It’s easy for me to close my eyes and see the Lord walking right beside me along the Sea of Galilee. I also find it easy and beneficial to envision the Lord walking right beside me in any number of beautiful natural settings I’ve experienced around the world.

It’s not these environments that give peace. It’s the awareness of God that I feel in my heart when I’m in these environments that produces peace. It’s that sense of “God with me” that’s important for me to recapture, envision, to see with spiritual eyes, when times of trouble hit my life.

Friend, no matter where you are at any given time, Jesus is the source of your contentment. See the Lord walking with you in peace. Sense His presence. Become aware of His awesome power and authority over your life. When by faith you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, living with the assurance of His presence and provision in your life, I promise you will experience true peace.