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It is really easy to let our circumstances, problems, and disappointments in other people to rob us of the peace we can have in Jesus.
Some of the main ways I find peace are in things like:
1. Thinking about God’s character.
(For verse references about God’s character, please check the post at this link from www.gotquestions.com)
- He is eternal.
- He is completely good.
- He is incapable of evil.
- He is love.
- He is truth.
- He is holy.
- He is just.
- He is kind.
- He hates sin.
- He is righteous.
- He exercises wrath against sin, He cannot ignore it.
- He is omnipotent.
- He is omniscient.
- He is omnipresent.
- He is Spirit.
- He never changes.
- He is One.
- He is sovereign.
- He is kind.
- He is merciful,
- He is gracious.
- He alone is God, there is no other.
2. Praising God.
I want to praise Him out loud whenever possible – every day. Including singing praises at the top of my lungs to Him. There is so much power in our praises to God. Satan and demons hate to be around the praises of God’s people. They tend to flee at the sound. Our praises make our lives welcoming and cozy to the Lord and hostile toward the enemy. There are thousands of beautiful worship and praise songs we can access so easily today. I encourage you to make singing to God and making music in your heart to Him a big priority all throughout each day.
- Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, Ps. 103:2
- Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Ps. 115:1
- Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Ps. 150:1-6
- Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. James 5:13
- Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Heb. 13:15
- Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, Eph. 5:19
3. Thinking specifically about His sovereignty.
When I meditate on the fact that my God is ultimately in control of the universe – even at the same time as we all have free will – I can have much peace because I know who He is and I know His heart and goals. I can know and acknowledge that God is in charge, not me, not my husband, not the president of our country, not the leader of any hostile nation, not nature, not random chance, and not Satan. What a joy to live in this blessed knowledge!
4. Resting in His love.
The Christian life is not really about trying harder and doing things in my power. It is all about resting in the love, provision, peace, and strength of Jesus and His work on my behalf. It is about allowing His Spirit’s power to work in and through me to accomplish His will and to give me the ability to walk in holiness. It is about allowing Him to restore my soul and about abiding in Him and leaning on Him in total dependence.
- “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Ps. 46:10
- For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, Isa. 30:15
- Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isa. 40:28-31
- “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30
- So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Heb. 4:9-10
5. Depending on the promises in His Word.
They are rock solid for those who belong to Jesus and who receive Him as both Savior and LORD of every area of their lives. He promises, for example, to use all things (good and bad) for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory (Rom. 8:28).
- Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither… Ps. 1:1-3
- But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matt. 6:33
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
- but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14
- And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28
- And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. 1:6
- And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19
- By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Pet. 1:4
6. Counting trials as joy.
I can remember that God purposes to use hardships to refine, prune, and strengthen those who belong to Jesus. I can look for the beautiful spiritual treasures and gems God wants to show me in those dark caves of trials. Those are the times I grow the most. I want to be able to get every single treasure out of every trial I experience.
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are … 2 Cor. 1:3-4
- do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7
- Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
7. Trusting God to provide for me what ultimately is best.
It can seem really scary at first to trust God. But the more I get to know God and His goodness, the more I realize that the best place to be is in the center of His will. The scariest place to be is trusting anyone or anything but Him.
- Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Ps. 34:8
- And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Ps. 9-10
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5-6
Real peace in my marriage and in my home is not about my circumstances. Real peace comes from having the Prince of Peace on the throne of my heart every moment.
One of the greatest keys to me living in true peace is for me to find all of my satisfaction and contentment in the Lord.