How to Enjoy Perfect Peace When You are Anxious

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So, I have a question for you…

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you describe your current level of peace if 1 is “I am completely stressed out and overwhelmed with worry and anxiety” and 10 is “I’m so completely peaceful . . . I could be lying on the beach in the middle of nowhere”?

The Apostle Paul wrote

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”

Philippians 4:6

It sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Pray, thank God, and stop worrying.

That’s it!

Or is it?

I can do the pray and thanking part . . . it’s the “stop worrying” part that I often find challenging.

Maybe you struggle with that part, too. It’s hard not to worry when it feels like there’s so much to worry about.

But pause for a minute and look at Paul’s next words.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

Or in another translation:

Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

Philippians 4:7 (CEV)

On my own, I can’t experience peace in the middle of my worry but the good news is…

It’s not up to me! And it’s not up to you either.

Any peace you and I could manufacture on our own is fragile and fleeting. But God’s gift of peace is a blessing that is as strong and lasting as the One who gives it.

With God’s help, we can reject the pull of worry by surrendering every anxious thought and fretful concern to God in prayer. I think that’s what Paul meant when he wrote “pray about everything.”

I had a friend contact me recently asking if I thought it was okay for him to pray about his feelings of frustration. I told him it’s one of the reasons I love the Psalms so much. David and the other writers took their highs and lows, joys and frustrations to God in prayer . . . and then they always ended up the same place. A surrendered place of gratitude, faith, and worship. And that’s a place of peace.

I want to be more like the Psalmists. I want to consistently and honestly go to God in prayer giving Him everything that tries to take my peace. So, I made an acrostic to help me put the don’t worry, pray, and thank God into practice in my life. Things I believe will help me focus on Him . . . always ready to receive His gift of peace.

How to Enjoy Perfect Peace When You are Anxious

P.E.A.C.E

P – Personalize God’s Promises

Hold God’s promises close to your heart. Carry them with you. Memorize them. Make them personal. Hear God speaking His Word over you.

Here are some of my favorites.

I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

I have loved you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. I Peter 5:7

What verses do you have memorized? Which verses are your favorites to carry with you that remind you of His peace and presence?

E – Examine Your Emotions

Have you ever found yourself saying, “Where did that come from?” after some angry outburst or foot-stomping frustration? Me too. They can not only express our emotions but mess with our future peace.

It’s important to examine and identify our emotions before we act out in ways that ruin our personal and relational peace.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Why do I feel this way? Is this a physical problem, unanswered questions and confusion, a spiritual attack, or emotional overload?
Who or what is the source of my frustration? This one’s probably the easiest to answer. 😉
What, if anything, can I do about it? It’s possible this may not even be your problem to solve.
When, if ever, should I deal with this? Don’t hurry through this. I like to take anxiety appointments where I give myself 20 to 30 minutes each day to think through these questions and then force myself to surrender it to God and focus on His gift of peace the rest of the day.

And read Paul’s words again…

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

And end your anxiety appointment with prayer!

A – Ask God for Wisdom, Patience, and Perfect Peace

This is when you pray, pray, and pray about everything. The secret to experiencing God’s perfect peace with patience . . . the peace that’s free of worry and anxiety is having a faith-filled prayer life.

You and I have God’s promise that we can take everything to God trusting that nothing is too great or too small to talk with Him about it. Your Father cares. He loves you. He is always with you. And He knows what’s best for you.

So, the other part of A is…

A – Accept God’s will

Now may the God of peace…
may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13:20a,21

Because the Lord is sovereign . . . absolute, unlimited, reigning, supreme . . . able to help you and me accept this moment and its circumstances willing to consciously surrender whatever it is to His unfailing love. He is able to give us what we need to live with hard to understand peace whatever our circumstances.

And that’s when it’s time to

C – Celebrate – Who He Is And All He Has Done

If you have personalized God’s Promises, Examined your Emotions, Asked God for His help and Accept His will . . . I promise you will have plenty to celebrate. You will be more than prepared to rejoice over every small victory thanking God for giving you strength, courage, comfort, and the blessing of His presence.

In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
    May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
May He grant your heart’s desires
    and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory
    and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Psalm 20:1,4–5

E – Experience God’s Hard to Understand Peace

Through intentionally practicing and applying God’s invitation to stop worrying, to pray about everything and thank God for His sovereign will and Spirit-led wisdom . . . you and I will experience the blessing of the peace that “no one can completely understand.”

The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11

How do I know practicing P.E.A.CE. makes a difference?

Because I’ve seen it in the lives of others, and when I’m faithful to the practicing and applying His gift of P.E.A.C.E . . . I’ve experienced this blessing myself.

I’m curious, what do you do to pause and remember that you belong to Christ Jesus and that with His help you can replace fear and worry and experience God’s gift of perfect peace?

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