Enjoy God's Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.

—John 14:27

Jesus made sure to speak to His disciples about peace, so He clearly wanted us to experience it, too. In fact, references to peace are all over the New Testament. It’s even included as one of the first three fruits of the Spirit. However, Jesus knew peace would be hard to find. He tells us not to have troubled hearts or be afraid, which acknowledges these conditions exist.

These days, not letting your heart be troubled might seem impossible. Watching the news for 30 minutes is enough to depress the most optimistic soul. However, it’s possible to find and hang onto peace despite all that. If you’re having trouble staying peaceful right now, there are a few things you can do to help yourself:

• Meditate on what is good. Philippians 4:8 specifically tells us to think of what is true, noble, right and pure. This doesn’t mean ignoring what’s going on in the world, but it does mean reminding ourselves who God is and that He is in control. Memorize scripture or fill your mind with uplifting messages of Christian books and music.

• Get quiet. Turn off the TV and computer, and follow Jesus’ example of going into a private room and closing the door to pray or read your Bible.

• Use your talents and passions to worship God and serve others. Focusing on what you’re good at and how it helps God’s kingdom can bring you peace, as can serving others and making a difference, no matter how small.