John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled.”
I pray that you are having a peaceful day and that the peace of God is pervading your life because Jesus died to give us peace. After all, Isaiah 53:5 says, “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him,” and God wants you to walk in that peace daily no matter what circumstances arise in your life. Furthermore, the type of peace He gives is not like the world gives that is dependent on peaceful circumstances (John 14:27). The type of supernatural peace Jesus left us operates during times of turbulence in our lives.
If we are to maintain the peace Jesus died to give us, God requires us to do our part. He said in John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled.” So if you have lost your peace and stress, fear, and anxiety are plaguing you, here is a checklist you can use to diagnose the problem, take the appropriate action, and get back to a peaceful state:
Am I believing the Word of God or a lie of Satan? Paul said in Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” If we have lost our peace, then we need to figure out what we are believing. We need to root out the lie that Satan has injected into our minds, cast down that imagination, and choose to believe whatever the Word of God says about our situation.
Am I focusing on God or my circumstances? Isaiah 26:3 says, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. God is completely trustworthy, and if we trust in God, then we will be more apt to look to Him for whatever we need. If you maintain a laser-like focus on God, His presence, power, and promises, then continuous peace will be the result
Have I prayed about the situation, or just talked about it to my family and/or friends? Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) says, “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.” Whatever situations arise in our lives, God expects us to bring them to Him in prayer. Prayer is the means by which we cast our care upon Him as He instructs us to do in I Peter 5:7.
So whenever you find yourself stressing, becoming overwhelmed, and losing your peace, ask yourself these questions to determine what course of action to take to get your peace back. Peace is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it’s God’s will for us to enter into His rest and stay there (Matthew 11:28). Let’s be determined that we will stay in peace today by staying in faith, focusing on God, and using prayer as the first line of defense and not an after-thought when problems arise.
Tracey L. Moore (a.k.a. The Purposeful Poet) is a poet, author and speaker whose goal is to challenge you to be your best for Christ. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Christian Counseling from Oral Roberts University and is an Associate Minister at Chesapeake Christian Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.