In our world today trying to live a peaceful life is often exceedingly difficult due to the enormous stresses and trials of life we all go through. I believe, however, that living life with great peace is not only possible, but that it is God’s plan and will for our lives. And our old friend, the Bible, gives us three ways to have great peace regardless of the circumstances of life. May the following three verses guide us into living a life full of great peace.
Keep your mind on Jesus.
(Isaiah 26:3) tells us: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” The first way to live life with great peace is to fix our eyes constantly on Jesus. So often when problems arise, we focus our attention on the negative circumstances we see all around us. Instead, we need to focus our attention on the great problem solver – Jesus. When we do this, we can cast all our cares on our Lord, trusting Him to help us deal with any and every negative circumstance that comes our way. My friends Jesus wants to be our great burden bearer so set your mind on Jesus and not on your problems and watch how He will flood you with His peace.
Keep your heart on Scripture.
We read in (Psalm 119:165): “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” The Bible is God’s great love letter to us. And as one reads (Psalm 119) we see that the psalmist has a love affair with the Scriptures. I know in my own life the more I develop a love affair with the Word of God, the more joy floods my soul and this joy helps me to have great peace knowing that Jesus is able to turn my problems and trials into opportunities to glorify His name. Scripture is so packed with amazing verses that show me that I am so special to God, that God always has my back, and that Jesus is my great burden bearer that how can I not fall in love with the Bible. I, like the psalmist, echo the words of (Psalm 119:162): “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.”
Keep prayer and thanksgiving at the center of your focus.
Perhaps the greatest prescription on how to deal with the anxieties of life, which incidentally rob us of peace, can be found in (Philippians 4:6-7): “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Here we see that when problems arise, rather than focus on the problem, we need to take our situation to the Lord in prayer. And not only that but give thanks to God that He will resolve our problem in a way that will bring Him glory. As a result, if we know that God will be glorified in our situation, we can again rejoice that we can play a part in the glorification process. What a wonderful exchange – we give our problems to the Lord and He gives us joy and peace.
So, the next time you are faced with the trials and stresses of life keep your mind on Jesus, your heart in the Scriptures, and your focus on prayer with thanksgiving. I believe these three practices will flood your soul with great peace!