Peace and Serenity
The one thing all people need and desire is peace of mind. This need is so strong we will try the strangest things to get it. People try drugs, drink, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, education, business, politics, the buying of things and many other activities to find peace of mind. When none of these produce this allusive substance they often resort to suicide. You may have tried many of these sources to find peace of mind without success. If you have failed in your efforts to find peace, and if suicide may have crossed your mind, stay with me. There is a much better way.
A troubled mind comes from one or more of these three basic conditions: guilt, fear, and feeling unloved (of little or no value). None of these three are cured by the things that we have or can get in this life. All of them are affected by our relationship with God which includes our trust in and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
To be discouraged with our efforts to find peace of mind is not uncommon. In fact, the wisest and one of the wealthiest of men on earth, a king by the name of Solomon had the same experience you, or someone you love, may be having. In the bible he tells us the following:
“I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with … pleasure … laughter … mirth … wine … wisdom … folly … I made my works great … houses … vineyards … gardens … orchards … fruit trees … water pools …servants … herds … flocks … silver and gold … male and female singers … musical instruments … I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem … Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure …Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. there was no profit under the sun … Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind … ” 1
After writing for our benefit and telling us that under the sun there is no such thing as peace of mind, Solomon closes the book with this advice: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, I have no pleasure in them” 2
A lack of relationship with God is the source of the problem and having a relation with God is the solution to the problem. We are told in scripture that we are all alienated from God because of the sin of Adam. Because of our sinful nature we are antagonistic toward God and must have a changed heart to have peace of mind. We are also told that God has called, drawn, and enlightened everyone on the face of the earth. (See: John 1:9, 3:16, 12:32, 1Timothy 2:3, 2Peter 3:9, Tit 2:11)
To have peace of mind, you must be reconciled to God. You must accept Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior. He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” 3
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” 4 When you believe with the heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins and you ask him to be your Lord and Savior, you will be at peace with God which is the source of true peace of mind. You can then claim these scriptures as promises to you.
Fear is a product of uncertainty. When we don’t know what might happen and we don’t feel we are in control; when we don’t know the one who is in control or don’t feel the one in control has our best interest at heart, we become fearful. Here is the solution. Philippians 4:6&7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This is God’s formula for peace of mind; but remember, it only works after you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
1. Don’t be anxious (careful) about anything. (You can only do this if you really trust in God— really trust.)
2. Give thanks for everything. (Everything— not just the things we want or that we think will bring us happiness – everything.)
3. Tell God in prayer what you feel you need or want. (If your request is according to his will, you will receive it. If not you know his way is best, you can rest in #1 and #2.)
4. You will have peace that will keep your heart and mind. (This is the peace that surpasses understanding. Those around you who don’t have this peace won’t understand it. You may not understand it either.)
ISAIAH 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Note: The basis on which you can have perfect peace is that you trust in him. No trust – no peace
1PETER 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. We can cast our care on him knowing he cares for us. How can one be safer than to have the Creator and Redeemer of mankind watching out for you?
No one ever needed a psychiatrist because they had so much peace of mind. The key thoughts are:
(a.)Truly accept everything,
(b.)Truly be thankful for everything.
How, (you might ask), can I be thankful for everything”? The answer is, difficult situations are an opportunity to demonstrate what God has done for you, and to demonstrate the strength he gives, which surpasses all understanding.
Remember, God has never promised saints today that he would change the circumstances. He has promised a way of escape. 1Corinthians 10:13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Guilt will keep us from feeling the love and protection of God in our life. As I have already stated, all of us were born lost guilty sinners. When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, He “puts our sins as far as the east is from the west, to be remembered against us no more” 5, also we are told, “He bare our sins on his own body on the tree” 5. All that is required for us to feel forgiven and no longer be guilty is to have faith in God and His word. We are “washed, sanctified and justified” 5; we are free, really free. Jesus Christ must be the Lord of our life. This means, after we accept him as our Savior, we must obey Him to be free from guilt. None of us live sinless lives, so to be free of guilt; we must stop sinning when we become aware we are and ask God to forgive us. To stop doesn’t take care of the sin. Because of this we are told— “if we confess our sins He (God) is faithful and just to forgive our sins” 6. Also we are told, when we “cover our sin we will not prosper, but when we confess and forsake our sin we find mercy” 6. The psalmist David spoke of the pressure and guilt he felt after he had committed the sins of adultery, murder, and deception. The pressure of guilt is what he felt before he confessed. God was trying to bring him to repentance. He tells us that God’s hand was heavy upon him and he became physically sick before he repented of his sin and confessed 7.
If you have lived in sin after accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can expect to be plagued by guilty feelings until you confess and forsake your sin. Once we confess and forsake our sins, they are “put as far away from us as the east is from the west to be remembered against us no more” 8. If we feel guilty after confessing and forsaking, it is Satan the Devil bringing those feelings and we can claim the promises of the God to relieve our guilt.
To feel unloved is probably the worst feeling one can have. Many people feel that they are not loved and are of little or no worth. Let me assure you that you are loved and your value is so great that God gave His only begotten son to die for your sins. Think about that— God gave— God gave— for you His only begotten Son! Jesus Christ died for your sins 9 to make it possible for you to have a meaningful relationship with God. When we have this meaningful relationship with God we know we are loved by God and all of God’s children who are spiritually minded.
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, the relationship you have is illustrated by the relationship the members of our physical body have with each other 10. Every little member of our body is important to all the other members—you are important. If you feel unloved and would like to meet Christians who want to love all people but especially our brothers and sisters in Christ, not only in word but in actions “deeds” 11contact us by calling or writing the email address listed on this Webb Page. We would consider it a privilege to be a friend to you.
1Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:26
2 Ecclesiastes 12:1
3Isaiah 57:21, Matthew 11:28&29
4 Romans 10:9 & 10
5 Psalms 103:12, 1Peter 2:24,1Corinthians 6:11
6 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13
7 Psalms 32:1- 5, 38:1-11&18, 39:7-11, 51:1-17
8 Psalms 103:12
9 John 3:16-22
10 Co 12:13-27
11 John 3:18