Cultivating Peace of Mind!
Cultivating Peace of Mind!
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
Christ shared these words with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion. It was meant to give them comfort and reassurance in what would be the darkest hour of their faith. Since that time Christians down through the ages have drawn comfort from Jesus' words here, to sustain them through their most difficult trials.
Christ adds yet another assurance in the same verse:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."
Yet many Christians find themselves unable to find peace of mind. For many, peace comes and goes, leaving them worried, restless, battered by stress.
Here is one of the primary reasons Jesus came to earth and died for sinful humankind: that we might walk with God without fear, enjoying his peace all the days of our lives.
Scripture calls Jesus the Prince of Peace.
At his birth the angels declared in song, "Peace on earth!"
The apostle Paul describes the Good News of Christ as the "gospel of peace." Jesus himself said, "In me ye (shall) have peace" (John 16:33).
Simply put, peace is what the gospel is all about.
"The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ" (Acts 10:36).
When Paul outlines the acceptable way we are to serve the Lord, it includes walking in God's peace:
"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" Romans 14:17–19.
Big Idea: Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.
Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
We live in a stressful, busy, hostel world:
42 percent of workers reported that yelling and verbal abuse took place where they worked.
One in ten said that physical violence had occurred where they worked.
34 percent had lost sleep because of workplace stress, and 23 percent had been driven to tears.
Almost two-thirds, 65 percent, identified workplace stress as a problem for them personally. [And the other 35 percent must have been too busy the answer the question].
When it comes to stress wouldn’t be great to be like the super hero: The Incredible Hulk. Why? He just wants to be left alone and is able to face anything that comes his way because he is mighty and strong.
Unfortunately most people are defeated by stress overload.
Symptoms of Stress Overload
1. Decision-making becomes difficult (both major and minor kinds).
2. Excessive daydreaming or fantasizing about “getting away from it all.”
3. Increased use of cigarettes and/or alcohol.
4. Increased use of tranquilizers and “uppers.”
5. Thoughts trail off while speaking or writing.
6. Excessive worrying about all things.
7. Sudden outbursts of temper and hostility.
8. Paranoid ideas and mistrust of friends and family.
9. Forgetfulness for appointments, deadlines, dates.
10. Frequent spells of brooding and feeling of inadequacy.
11. Reversals in usual behavior.
Keys to Peace of Mind
1. Accept God’s Pardon
2. Recognize God’s presence.
3. Count Your Blessings
4. Believe God’s Promises
5. Make prayer a Priority
6. Guard your heart and mind
7. Focus on Holiness
8. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 3:13-14
9. Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. -Matthew 6:25-32
10. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
-Philippians 4:11-13
11. Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty.
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. -2 Peter 1:5-10
12. Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:33
The secret for Peace of Mind
If you want to be distressed -- look within.
If you want to be defeated -- look back.
If you want to be distracted -- look around.
If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead.
If you want to be delivered -- look up too Jesus!
