The One Secret You Need To Know For Perfect Peace In Any Storm
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Life is hard. And the harder it gets, the easier it is to become blind to God’s goodness, grace, and sovereignty. It’s hard to find peace in these times.
When the storms rage very hard and your marriage, children, or home are threatened, you become unsettled and possibly even fearful.
You might even begin to battle anxiety, depression, anger, or fear. That’s what struggles and trauma normally do to humans.
But that’s not what has to happen.
So what’s the secret to becoming unmovable when the storms of life rage about you?
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
~Isaiah 26:3, NLT
What is perfect peace?
Peace is calm, settled, gentle security.
Perfect peace? Well, to me, that is peace that isn’t shaken by what is happening around or to me.
Peace is Jesus. Jesus is perfect peace.
When you are a Christian, you have that hope and anchor that He is your peace.
What is a stayed mind?
When your mind is stayed on something, it is anchored to it. Your thoughts are fixed; they “stay put.”
To have perfect peace, you need to have your mind locked onto Jesus. And Jesus is the immovable Cornerstone.
You can look at your problem in relation to your ability to fix it, or you can focus on God and view your problem in relation to His abilities.
Related: How to Hold Fast To God
Who keeps you in perfect peace?
There’s one more thing to notice here: GOD keeps you in perfect peace when your mind fixes on Him.
You don’t have to hold on for dear life, fight for your peace, stand firm, or anything else. GOD does the keeping when you fix your mind on Him.
Why does He keep you there?
Because you trust in Him.
It’s so simple. Why on earth do you (and I) always try to complicate the simple truths of God?
Just as He rewards those who diligently seek Him, so God also honors your trust in Him by remaining wholly trustworthy.
Related: Is God A Liar?
Related: Why Can We Trust God?
One of my personal favorite ways to help stay in that place of peace is to have a playlist for the times of stress and anxiety.
How does this keep you peaceful?
Think about it for a moment. Imagine this:
You are sitting on the couch, looking out your window at a lightning storm while the thunder rattles the windows. You’re nice and warm inside, wrapped up in your favorite throw blanket and drinking soothing tea.
You are enjoying the beauty of the storm because you know you are safe and secure from its most dangerous elements. Even when it gets a little daunting, you feel secure because your home has a solid foundation and shelters you.
Now picture this:
You and a friend decided to go out in a rowboat in a lake. The sky is blue, the sun is cheery, and the weather is perfect.
Out of nowhere, the sky darkens, thunder cracks, the rains fall, and the winds whip you wildly in circles. The lightning you’ve always enjoyed watching from your favorite chair in the window of your safe home now terrifies you.
What’s the difference?
The only difference is your position during the storm.
When your mind is stayed on Jesus, you are positioned in a place of peace and security. Just as you trust your house to protect you from the elements, you can trust Jesus to protect you from life’s storms.
And just as with this example, it’s important to note that safety and peace don’t come from the absence of storms.
The three young men facing a fiery furnace said it best, “Our God is able to deliver us, but if He doesn’t…” (Daniel 3:16-17, paraphrased).
God was indeed able to stop them from getting thrown into the furnace, just like later God could have stopped Daniel from being tossed into a pit of lions.
But that’s not what He chose to do.
Instead, He stood with them in the fiery furnace and sheltered them.
Instead, He closed the mouths of the lions so Daniel could be safe in their presence.
Instead, He remains an anchor for you to hold you steady and in perfect peace during your storms.
Related: Praying for Grace in the Midst of the Storm
How Do You Build Your Trust in God?
Sometimes God makes us wait. That waiting can be a sweet time of refreshing or it can be a barren time in the wilderness.
God knows what’s best for us and He establishes us where He wants.
But the important part is to trust Him in the waiting.
Trust comes through time and relationship and experience. Every time you need God and He is there for you, your trust is strengthened.
Just keep trusting and it gets easier and easier, as your heart and mind learn that He will always keep His promises.
Related: Waiting in the Wilderness for God to Keep His Word
How Do You Fix Your Mind on God?
You fix your mind on God by reading the Bible and spending time in prayer.
It’s not hard, but it’s amazing how life will always thwart our best intentions to accomplish this.
When you go to pray, instead you’ll think of the three things you forgot to buy at the grocery store, the phone call you haven’t returned, the bill that is late, and the laundry you need to get started.
All the things that slip your mind when you settle in to watch your favorite TV show flood your mind when you try to focus on God. It takes intentional purpose to focus on God.
When you read the Bible, it can be hard to focus, too. When you have kids or a busy job, it’s hard to make quiet time in your day to focus on the Word.
But you need to.
It’s through these times of intentional prayer and Bible reading that you will learn to trust God. And that trust will allow you to fix your mind on Him. And that focus on Him?
That is what leads you to perfect peace!
Related: 11 Reasons To Read The Bible (what’s in it for you!)
Related: Soul Care As a Mom: Learning to Rest In God
Related: How I Learned to Pray With More Focus (and you can, too!)
Want to grow a deeper prayer life? Check out this free 5-day prayer challenge!
