The Bible says very little about inner peace but describes many people who have it. For example:
- Daniel in the lion's den
- David fighting Goliath
- Unmarried Mary having a baby
The verses that do mention peace of mind are clear. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3, New King James Version)
For believers, inner peace should be a non-issue. Having faith – complete confidence or trust – in God and knowing how much God loves people should be sufficient to take the worry out of life. Yet often, Christians don’t seem any different than non-Christians. Everyone worries about finances, health, and family issues.
Why Christians Worry Instead of Having Peace
There are many reasons people worry. Here are three:
- Forgetting God’s promises. When Jesus was on earth, He cared for people primarily by ministering to their physical needs. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. . . Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26, New King James Version) The Bible has many promises relating to how God cares for people.
- Not believing that God really loves them. God’s Word tells how much God loves people. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17, New King James Version) Those that have feelings of unworthiness need to see themselves through God’s eyes. Jesus, the Son of God, died to give Christians the opportunity to be called Children of God.
- Fear of the unknown. Children are often afraid at night because they can’t see in the dark. Adults feel fearful when they focus on all the bad things that can happen – and life does throw a lot of horrible circumstances at people. The apostle Paul is a good example for believers. He was beaten and thrown into prison where he and his companions prayed and sang praises until an earthquake woke everyone at midnight. You can read the complete story in Acts.
Making a Change from Worrywart to Inner Peace
Whatever the reasons people choose to worry, choosing not to worry is better. . .and it is a choice. That’s not to suggest everyone walk around wearing blindfolds or acting like Pollyanna and pretending everything is wonderful when it isn’t. It simply means trusting God for whatever is needed and believing that it will be available at the right time. To use an apt cliche, “Let go and let God.”
There are other things that each of us can do to promote our own inner peace. Use the following suggestions to create your own list.
- Spend more time in listening prayer.
- Focus on being thankful rather than requests.
- Eliminate some of the noise in your life – seek silence– that’s when you’ll hear God’s voice.
- Find small ways to build trust in God; do something you can't do on your own. Give up your alarm clock, a video game or a favorite sweet and trust God to help you do it.
- Change negative self-talk to God-focused praise.
Choosing to worry isn't really an option for a believer. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! . . .Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 New King James Version)
Mistie Shaw - Writing for nearly half a century, Shaw's interests and education meander from music to the military, and from faith to fun.
