Finding God’s Peace

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) “You keep him in perfect peace, those whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

Psalm 29:11 (NIV) “The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.”

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We all encounter restless and anxious times when we need to find peace in God. It’s always there for us, but it sometimes seems out of reach in our current state. However, when Jesus tore the holy veil that separated us from our Heavenly Father, access to God’s peace became ours. It is a promise found in Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV), which tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Peace is not just a solemn, quiet moment found in a church or cathedral. For many, that would be frustrating or boring. It may feel more like safety belts on a wild roller coaster ride. Or, it could be that secret cavern under a waterfall with millions of gallons of rushing water pouring around you, but you remain untouched. We are all wired a little differently in what we consider peaceful, but the truth is peace is found abiding in Jesus. When we tell the Lord our concerns and desires, and give Him every circumstance we face-good or bad-then He lifts the burdens from us. He has a plan for all our days. He faces boredom or trials with us and turns them into adventures filled with His kind of wonder-filled presence.

We ask and receive Jesus’ peace by meeting with Him regularly, often at the onset of our day. Ask Him what He wants to teach you each day, what you should do, how you should prepare, and when to head out. He will guide you through current struggles with wisdom, and take you on adventures that will make you wonder as you use gifts you never knew you had. He will connect you with others and draw you along steps to your purpose. His support may sometimes feel like a freefall, but Jesus catches you every time you surrender to Him. It’s both exhilarating and astonishing, but there’s a confidence and peace that this experience of His ever-present companionship brings!

You find the Lord’s peace by your faith, just as you encountered salvation. You heard the Gospel or read it in the Bible, and you took a step of faith to believe Jesus’ death on the cross was an exchange for your eternal life. Messianic scripture calls Jesus the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), who bridges the gap between sinful mankind and God in heaven. If Jesus did that, He surely can bring restful shalom (peace) to our souls, too.

As a shepherd boy and as a king, David wrote and sang worship songs that confessed his anxieties but always turned back to magnifying our magnificent and glorious God over an insignificant problem. Under stress, read through David’s Psalms and accounts like the book of Joshua to renew your faith. Surrounding ourselves with worship music and praise professions takes us closer to Jesus, where we feel His peace. During your Bible study, write down the scriptures that encourage you and remind you of God’s promises. Be like David, confess any problems to God, and seek His guidance. Then worship Him for the ways He has come through and blessed you in the past. As you remind yourself of His goodness, you will experience faith in your current situation. Peace will follow. As Jesus shared with His disciples in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20 (NIV), “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” There is no greater comfort than that!