Peace in the Panic

What does it look like to surrender to Jesus and live in His peace?

Sometimes it looks like a clear, uncluttered mind.

Sometimes it looks like a restful nights sleep, no anxious thoughts keeping you awake.

Sometimes it looks like a genuine belly laugh over the mundane, no heavy thoughts weighing your heart down.

Sometimes it’s simply remembering that He promises to care for us, even when life is really kicking us while we’re down.

It took me a long time to realize that these things can be simultaneously true. We can surrender to His peace, even when circumstances call for the opposite, but it’s hard to live in the reality of that juxtaposition.

How do we get to this place when we feel that we are living life in the valley? I believe that sometimes, that’s the only way we can find His peace. When everything else is stripped away, what remains?

In 2 Thessalonians, Paul refers to God as the “Lord of peace”, who is able to give us peace at all times. That includes in chaos (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

In the gospel of John, Jesus says, “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 (John 16:33).” This is a perfect picture of how we can have peace when life is falling apart. Jesus overcame the chaos. He is greater than the battles we face, and He is in them with us.

If peace was dependent upon our circumstances, it would be fleeting and unreliable. Thankfully, consistency and reliability are attributes of God.

Think back to Jesus sleeping in the storm, his disciples frantic and full of fear. The circumstances were terrifying, and it wasn’t until the disciples were reminded of who Jesus is that they focused on him instead of what was raging around them (Luke 4:35-41).

Acknowledging the peace of Jesus doesn’t necessarily change our circumstances, but it does change our response to them.

Scripture tells us that we will live in a state of peace if our mind is constantly fixed on Christ and we put our trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Let’s make this the goal. As long as we keep our focus steady on the Father, we will find the rest we crave.