Finding God’s Peace in Times of Trouble
Have you ever met someone who has a lot of health problems, or money problems, or any number of problems, but they still exude joy and hope?
I am always so awed and inspired by these people. How can they experience so much peace and hope in the midst of their suffering? I eat breakfast late and spend the rest of my day grumpy - how can these individuals be so full of joy when their lives are seemingly so hard? How are they finding God’s peace in times of trouble?
Praise God that He offers a way to this joy and hope through His word and personal relationship with Him.
We’ve recently gone through a major health event with my dad, and for the first time in my life, I’ve truly felt what it means to have God’s peace in times of trouble.
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For me, this didn’t mean that my mind didn’t “go there.” It definitely did. I had all of the negative thoughts and the what-ifs and the worst-case-scenarios run through my brain.
But I didn’t dwell there. And while these thoughts came into my mind, they never penetrated my soul. I never had a physical reaction to my negative thoughts. I don’t know how it is for you, but when I fear and worry, I feel a tightness in my chest. And during this whole ordeal, my body never reacted that way.
The negative thoughts came in, but they did not consume my being.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
God had the situation taken care of, and I truly believed it, trusted it, and felt it in my body, mind, and soul.
Finding God’s Peace
So how do we go about finding God’s peace in times of trouble? The Bible offers us a lot of guidance in this area.
Look for the peace Jesus leaves.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
First and foremost, God tells us that He leaves us with His peace. And this type of peace is different than the peace that the world can provide. This peace is outside of our worldly circumstances. This peace comes directly from God and lives outside of what makes sense to our fleshly natures.
My circumstances are telling me that I should be worried because my dad’s health is suffering. But God tells me that I don’t need to be afraid and that my heart doesn’t need to feel troubled because He is in control of the situation and He gives me His peace. All I have to do is trust that He’s got it covered, regardless of the outcome, and tap into that peace that He’s offering.
Ask for peace.
John 14:13-14
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
When our hearts are aligned under God’s will, we can be assured that He will answer our prayers.
So when we are struggling with fear and doubt, all we really need to do is to ask God to provide us with His peace, and He will answer that prayer.
As someone who struggles with anxiety, I know that just simply asking for peace is sometimes easier said than done. If you’re struggling with something deeper, there are other steps you can take to reduce your anxiety and find peace in God’s presence.
Focus on gratitude.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
The key words here are “with thanksgiving.” When we send our requests to God, we need to posture our hearts with gratitude and thankfulness, and we need to praise God for the work he’s already done in our lives. By first focusing on gratitude, we are then able to receive God’s peace that surpasses all understanding.
God, thank you for being the God of peace.
We know that you offer an unexplainable peace in our lives, and we are so grateful that you are in control of all of our circumstances.
As the storms of life rage around us, we are grateful that you freely give us your peace when all we need to do is ask for it. Thank you so much for your provision. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Finding God’s peace in times of trouble can seem impossible or unattainable at times, but we know that with God, all things are possible. He can provide us with an unexplainable peace during difficult times - all we need to do is ask.
Blessings Friend.
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