5 Faith-filled Ways to Experience the Inner Peace You Want Every Day
On a scale of 1 to 10 – if 1 = perfect peace and 10 = all-consuming anxiety…
How are you doing?
I want to be around 1 or 2 but if I’m being honest . . . I often run somewhere above 5.
We live in a hurry—late for everything, behind on payments, racing toward bigger and better—world. We’re bombarded daily with reports of pandemics, wars, and rumors of wars, escalating crime, and price hikes. It seems like the list of things to be anxious about goes on and on and on.
Is it any wonder perfect inner peace seems to elude us?
The Apostle Paul wrote a short recap of the chaos he had experienced. Talk about reasons to be anxious! He said that he had been imprisoned three times, shipwrecked three times, stoned, beaten with rods multiple times, spent a night adrift at sea, faced robbers, faced death, and whipped too many times to count. And he experienced sleepless nights and hungry days without warm clothing to fight the cold. (2 Corinthians 11:21–27)
In spite of all that . . . a few years later he wrote a list of things he believed would help us “experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.” (Philippians 4:7)
So, I thought it might be helpful to take a closer look at Paul’s list of things to do if we want to have inner peace.
5 Faith-filled Ways to Experience Inner Peace
1. Be Full of Joy – “Always be full of the joy of the Lord.” (Philippians 4:4)
Well, this may sound simple but it isn’t easy. Of course, we aren’t told that it’s going to be easy, we’re told that it will lead to personal peace. Being full of joy doesn’t mean we’re happy about our circumstances it means we’re choosing to trust God enough to find our joy in Him. It means trusting that He is our Provider and that His love is complete and perfect.
2. Be Kind, Gentle, and Caring – “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.” (Philippians 4:5)
Again, not easy but just imagine how much more peaceful your life would be if you replaced anger and frustration with gentleness and compassion. Not a doormat or weak, but kind and caring. It’s funny my body tenses just typing the words anger and frustration, and relaxes as I type gentleness, compassion, kindness, and caring. Hmm.
3. Don’t worry – “Don’t worry about anything.” (Philippians 4:6)
So when are we going to get to the easy ones? The truth is worry is a choice. Even in the worst of circumstances, we choose whether we will worry or give our concerns over to God asking Him to guide and direct us. Honestly, when was the last time worrying provided you with anything beneficial?
4. Pray – “Tell God what you need.” (Philippians 4:6)
This one is easier. Although, I wish I consistently remembered to pray before I worried. We are told that we can “come boldly”…
Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:16
We can approach God with reverent boldness because He promises to hear us and faithfully respond with unfailing parental love.
5. Give thanks – “Thank Him for what He has done.” (Philippians 4:6)
When I remember to thank the Lord for all He has done in the past, I am less likely to worry about the present. When I intentionally look back on the ways God has blessed and cared for me in the past I am more likely to trust Him with my present and future.
And here’s Paul’s counsel in context:
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.
Philippians 4:4–6
Paul doesn’t stop there, he continues with this important promise…
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. v. 7
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Experience Perfect Inner Peace
Father, Please help me faithfully remember to find joy in every day, to be kind and considerate to those You place around me, to give my worries and cares to You in prayer, and faithfully give thanks for who You are and all You’ve done. Please help me experience Your perfect inner peace . . . the peace that goes beyond my ability to understand.
Strengthen me by the power of Your Spirit and give me everything I need to trust Your heart and follow Your will. I believe that Your grace is sufficient for my needs today, tomorrow, and forever. Although the world is full of problems that threaten to rob me of my peace, please help me prayerfully turn to Your Word of truth that I might KNOW and LOVE You as my source of peace and strength. And prompt me to run to You in prayer before I give in to worry and anxiety. I ask this in the name of my Lord, Jesus. Amen.
Do you want to know the most humbling and amazing thing about Paul’s verses about peace and joy?
They were written in a Roman prison.
And the Life Application Bible Notes introduce the letter to the Philippians as “Paul’s joy letter.”
Paul had learned the blessings of inner peace and contentment and he summed up the secret in the very next verse.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8,9b
Then the God of peace will be with you.
What you and I put into our minds influences what we think and what we think becomes our peace or our anxiety. So, let’s pray and give thanks, let’s be full of joy, kind, gentle, and caring. And let’s replace worry with thoughts that are true about the One who loves us more than we can hope for or imagine.
May the Lord be with you and bless you today with His inner peace that exceeds anything we can understand.
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How beautiful this post was Deb. It goes to the heart and is a precious reminder that we are in this world but not of this world. Paul knew the glories that awaited him in his eternal home and found his peace even in the horrendous, cruel, treatment he received. God takes us at our weakest and powerlessness and turns sinful hearts into gratitude and joy. Paul is such an example of God’s good and gracious grace. It truly drops me to my knees. Peace can be mine at anytime if I just turn my eyes to the Lord. Thank you dear lady for this wonderful, uplifting reminder.
Thank you, Marilyn. What a blessing that the Lord will help us focus on Him with an eternal perspective. His peace truly is beyond understanding and I’m so very thankful. God bless you!
Deb, I felt such peace and relaxation as I read your post – thank you! Oh yes, some of it hard, but so rewarding as it is the only way to go through such a crazy world – we are blessed that we can live in the peace of God. Have a wonderful weekend and blessings. Deborah
Aw, thank you, Deborah. Praying that you have a wonderful weekend as well. Blessings!
I am in a Bible study of Joshua it’s called Winning the Worry Battle by Barb Roose and she shared we have 3 fighting friends Peace, Courage, and Strength. So when Joshua didn’t wait for instructions from God to fight at Ai and 36 men died, but when they listened to God and took all the army they had a complete Victory. So we also can have Victory over worry (which is sin). Our meltdowns come when we aren’t depending totally on God and/or not waiting on God for our direction what He wants me to do. Just wanted to share this, it has been very helpful for me especially now that my husband died and I have extra responsibility, what he used to do to carry. Even in this last snow storm here in ND we had I had loved ones come and take me to church. God is wanting us to depend totally on Him and He will supply our needs!
Thanks for this, Lily. Barb is a wonderful teacher. Her teaching always blesses me. Thank you for sharing the way has been there for you through this season. Your words blessed and encouraged me. Blessings and hugs!
Another beautiful post. Thanx.
Thank you, Linda! Blessings!
Hi Deb
Thank you for this message it has really blessed me. I really needed it at this point of my life. God bless you. And May He feel us with His peace that surpasses all understanding ♥️
I’m so glad, Betty! Thanks for your encouragement.
Yes, I’ve been down many times the anxiety and worry roads. But by the grace of the Lord, eventually I always settled for grabbing onto His robe to carry me through whatever difficulty I was facing. And I can attest to it that He never let me down. God provided solutions to unsolvable problems and situations. So, just as you said Deb, now when I face hardship, I remind myself of His faithfulness in the past.
I refuse to focus on what’s going on in the world – and keep telling myself that there IS a God Who rules the world. And this is the same God Who guarded our life through a lifetime. The same God, Who protected us during the pandemic, during the financial difficulties. This is the God Who never let us go hungry, provided roof over our head, surrounded us with love. He’s our banker, provider, protector…..why should I worry about things that the World worry about?
Does it mean I never do? Absolutely not. The devil always finds a way to get to me. But I hate the feeling when my stomach or heart feels like someone is squeezing it tight. So I run to Jesus, that He promised to help….and fight tooth and nail against worry and anxiety.
Couple of years ago the Lord put me through a very hard faith test that I failed miserably. Would I have been able to keep my eyes on Jesus through the whole ordeal, only He knows where my faith life would be. But while I kept running back and forth to Him, I allowed worry and anxiety to have a field ball with me. This is when I learned what a huge sin worry is, which in essence is UNBELIEF. When I worry than I declare that I don’t trust God and His power. But rather scramble to try to find a way out on my own wit.
As you said Deb, let the Lord grant us His peace in ALL circumstances, amen 🙂
Oh, Gaby, I think that many of us share your struggle. God often whispers while the world screams and shouts. But God’s whispers are the things that keep me secure, strong, and full of His peace. Only with His Spirit’s help can I remain focused on the Lord and experience His peace. God bless you, my friend!
What a blessing from our Lord God from you this site is, dear Debbie. It completes my feelings of peace and of gratitude to our Almighty God. I have gone through many trials n tests , some excruciating physical pain several times, butHE always blessed me with extra grace that I can t stop wondering why I have been blessed so much , undeserving as I am.. Words cannot express my deep gratitude and here your column helps me a lot. thank you so much and may GOD Almighty continue to bless you abundantly..
Thank you!
Thank you so very much, Grace. I’m so glad you were blessed and encouraged. Thanks for letting me know. God be with you!
Love your prayers Deb x
Thank you, Angela! God bless you!