Saturday, February 16, 2013

Six Bible Verses on Peace of Mind



1. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians says "Do not be anxious about anything!" We are commanded by the creator of the very universe to stop being anxious. Anxiousness and worry does no God. God demands that you stop being anxious. Some people assume that they have to be anxious at certain. You do not! As we progress on our spiritual journeys we know more and more the true peace of mind that God offers us. We are reminded that if we are anxious about anything we should pray. This is also a great message here: "Prayer with supplication with thanksgiving." What does that mean? It means why you pray, be thankful knowing that your God loves you and will give you the requests you make! Joyously call out "Thank You Lord for bringing me this which I ask for, thank you for the peace you offer me!" God is active and always with us.
2. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

In 2 Thessalonians we are told that God is a God of peace! He gives us peace at all times, we have only to train our minds to receive it. Often people get a spiritual connection with God, but lack that peace and harmony. Remember never give up! The more we press forward in our spirituality the more we receive the peace of God. And this isn't something we just receive sometimes, it's something that ought always to be with us.
3. 1 Peter 3:11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

This passage tells us to turn away from evil and do good. We should pursue peace in all things. We need peace with our family, with friends, with our congregation, and with our own lives. The more we spread peace in the world, the more we receive it as a gift from God. We need to pursue peace! Peace of mind is out there waiting for us. God constantly offers the reassurance of his word, we ought to get into it. The Bible is there and ready to be read. Let no one tell you that you can't understand it. It's for us to read!

4. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7 gives us some instruction on what to do when we find ourselves stuck in anxiety. Cast that anxiety on the Lord. He is fully willing to receive it. God loves us so much, and he wants us to be happy. Pray that God take away the anxiety in your mind, then wait on the Lord to act. Sometimes it doesn't come right away, but when we ask God for things he gives them, as long as they are within his love and will. Don't let people tell you that you shouldn't pray for yourself. How can we become better Christians if we neglect asking God for things? We ought to also offer great thanksgiving and praise to God for what he does in our lives. But we also must ask! This doesn't mean asking for a new car or a new job. It means asking God to add things to us, like wisdom, truth, morality, honor, love, compassion, and peace of mind!

5. Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

In Isaiah we see that God keeps us in peace if we focus our lives on him. This has personally been the case for me, and I feel blessed that God has given me the drive to pursue his word and will. So we know from scripture that if we build our very lives around our great creator he in turn gives us peace of mind. This doesn't just mean outward things. It means inward meditation! I try to constantly talk to God, whether at work or driving or walking around my house. Acknowledge him in the sunset, in the snow, in the sky, in the people, and in everything. God wants our love and praise! If you find yourself lacking the inner drive to do this in your life, pray to God and ask him to give you that drive to make him the center of your life. He will answer! This is a wonderful verse because it also tells us that when we focus on God, and make him the center of our lives God trusts us. What a wonderful thing!

6. John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

This is a classic line from John. These are the words of Jesus. Jesus tells us that all his teaching and his sacrifice for us is so we have peace. We can have peace through Jesus Christ! He died for us and he also taught us how to live peaceful lives. His teachings give us peace of mind. What a wonderful gift! So through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal savior, and taking on his values as our own we find peace of mind. The world is full of tribulation and we will have troubles, but we don't need to get anxious or wild about it. Jesus overcomes the world everyday. He overcomes it for us and through us. When we are saved, what do we need to fear? What could possibly make us anxious? We know that once we accept Christ, God provides for all our daily needs. We never need to worry again. God be praised!