“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27 (NLT)
God has promised to give you peace of mind. In fact, one of God’s names is Jehovah Shalom, which means, “I am the God of peace.”
Finding peace is one of our deepest needs. God has promised peace of mind, so if you don’t have it, you should ask why. Here are three things that may be robbing you of peace:
You lose your peace when circumstances are uncontrollable. Much of life is beyond our control. We sit in gridlocked traffic and miss an important event. A couple keeps trying desperately—but unsuccessfully—to have a baby. Someone loses their job unexpectedly and wonders how they will provide for their family. When these things—big or small—happen, we get frustrated and lose our peace of mind.
You lose your peace when people are unchangeable. The quickest way to lose your cool is to try to change somebody else. Most people are just not going to change in the ways you want them to. But even when we know it won’t work, we still try to do it! And it keeps us from being peaceful.
You lose your peace when problems are unexplainable. We know life isn’t fair. Things don’t always turn out right. And when we don’t know why, we get anxious, nervous, and stressed.
Accepting God’s peace doesn’t mean your life will be problem-free. It means that even when your world seems to be falling apart, you will be able to think clearly and sleep peacefully.
How do you get God’s peace in your life? God’s peace is not something you work for or beg for. It’s a gift you receive by faith. Jesus promised, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).
Turn to God in prayer. Tell him what’s on your mind. Focus on his goodness. And his peace that passes understanding will fill your heart and mind.
