Anchored In Peace

What do you do when life’s challenges seem begin to overwhelm you? Do you handle stress well, or, do you tend to worry and become anxious wondering how God is going to see you through?

Anybody who knows me knows what the last two months have been like for my family. Back in January, my youngest son was hit with a medical emergency that eventually rocked me to my core. It took everything within me not to lose heart. Fear was on every side and I couldn’t escape the “what if’s penetrating my mind and emotions. The stress was overwhelming. I knew God was in control, but I couldn’t get my mind to cooperate with the knowing. If you have been there, you know what I am talking about.

I had to find peace of mind or I was literally going to lose my mind. I tried to pray and read, seeking solace in my Bible, but I couldn’t sit still long enough to allow God to speak to me. My heart raced with anxiety, and each time I attempted to focus, a million distractions and fearful thoughts pulled me in different directions.

A month later I was finally able to quiet myself and sit long enough to hear the voice of the Lord. He was with my son and myself through this whole health scare. When they called stat in the hospital and all of the doctors were running into his room to help him, God showed up and gave me a Cardiologist who stood beside me and helped me understand what was going on. He was there when I was afraid and feeling all alone. He showed up at night offering peace when the fear was so great I would wake up with panic attacks. Peace entered my situation and gave me hope.

Today, two months later, my son is completely healed! And while I am still healing from the trauma, God is teaching me to keep my mind stayed on Him and not on my circumstances.

What is Peace?

Merriam-Webster dictionary says that peace is “the freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” It is a state of mind where you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is in control and has you in the palm of His hand. John 16:33 AMP says:

“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 and undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. ( I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you).

Jesus never promised us that we wouldn’t face challenges. In fact, He says the opposite. But He tells us to take courage because He has overcome the world. Instead of reverting to our fearful nature when things go wrong, we need to set our minds on Jesus and allow His peace that passes understanding to guard our minds and give us hope.

How Do I Find Peace When my Mind is Racing?

When I was dealing with my son’s sudden seizures, I was praying and crying out to God in my distress. The only problem was I wasn’t changing my mindset and allowing God to fill me with His perfect peace. My mind was set on auto-pilot believing the worse case scenario. I was going through the motions of prayer, but I wasn’t surrendering my fear and my son back to God. If we could truly understand the freedom of surrender, how much more our minds would experience the peace and joy God has for us.

Jesus wants us to have peace but we must appropriate it and not allow ourselves to be swallowed up in the mental tug-of-war of fear and peace. Action must be taken to receive peace. Psalm 34:14 says to “seek peace and pursue it.” Run after it! Don’t just sit there and allow the enemy to bombard your mind with fear inducing thoughts. Pursue peace! And when you grab ahold of it, never let it go!

I have learned when I am going through the valleys to turn on some praise music and begin to worship God. As I praise God, His presence begins to fill the room and bring me peace. The lies I have been believing are silenced and fear begins to cease.

Another weapon to gain peace is to change your mindset. This is easier said than done but if we can learn to do this, peace will flood our souls. When you begin to feel anxious and afraid, ask yourself what you have been thinking about. Nine times out of ten, your thoughts are negative and robbing you form the peace God wants you to experience. Begin replacing the negative thoughts with God’s Word.

If you like the outdoors, take a walk and look around at God’s beautiful creation. He loves His creation. If He made the beauty and splendor of the world around you, won’t He take care of your situation? Matthew 6:26 NIV says: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

“If we could understand the freedom of surrender, how much more would our minds experience the peace and joy God wants to give.”

-Anchored in Peace

Peace is Possible

When we are battling to experience peace in our lives, fear will often blind us from the truth. Fear brings with it torment and unrest. It enslaves us to become its servant because we can no longer function with the mind of Christ. God does not want us to live in this state of mind. It renders us ineffective and we can no longer be productive in our calling. It’s exactly what the enemy wants. But God is calling us to seek after His peace and allow it to wash over our minds.

When we are going through stressful situations, we need to get back to the Word of God and stand on His promises. Romans 4:20 says that “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was able to perform.”

This verse is talking about Abraham when God had promised him and Sarah a child in their old age. Instead of looking at his outward circumstances, he looked to the God of the impossible and believed His Word! Abraham did not waver in the promise of God or worry about how God was going to accomplish the promise. He held his peace and waited for God to act.

Conclusion

I don’t know what you may be going through or what you may be facing today, but I want to encourage you to seek peace and pursue it. God hears your cries and knows your heartache. So often we find ourselves asking God why, but we need to learn to lean on Him and not be led by our emotions or fears. We need to trust that what God said, He will accomplish in our lives. He knows our future and has the best outcome mapped out for us. Begin to chase after peace and when you grab ahold of it, never let go!