By Minister Moses – November 2011
Recently I carried out a brief poll asking people ‘What does peace of mind mean to you?’
For one person, it was knowing that ‘I have nothing to worry about, God’s in control’, for someone else it was being able to sleep peacefully at night. I particularly liked the latter answer, because it’s so true. Peace of mind can be silently observed and almost measured during those precious moments between resting one’s head on a pillow and actually falling asleep; in the very most private moments of our consciousness.
This short article is a sequel to my first, Peace of Heart. In summary, I explained that true inner peace begins fundamentally with one’s relationship with God. We must begin by remembering our justification by faith, and most importantly, proceed in the same sense of justification thereafter, right throughout the rest of our lives, even in our lowest moments of shame and regret. Remember this: we are not, as believers, ever in a position where we are trying to gain favour with God, or indeed trying to maintain it.
His love is unconditional and the sooner we get to grips with this the sooner we will be at ease with ourselves, our salvation and God.
Philippians 1:6 sums it up nicely; “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Once the matter of peace within our hearts is resolved, the next step is to work on the peace within our minds. In contrast to our hearts, which relate to God, peace of mind relates to life’s very real and mundane circumstances and how we respond to them. Life will present stressful situations, but it’s how we choose to respond to them that will determine whether we become stressed or maintain our cool. The bible has plenty to say about anxiety, namely, ‘don’t be anxious about anything!’
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6-7
Prayer
In a nutshell, there are two predominant ways we can respond to the temptation of anxiety: to pray and, or to act. We have to pray for the things we have no control over, and act positively and decisively in the areas we do.
Prayer is powerful. It not only changes things, but it also changes the way you see things. Jesus reassuringly taught us if the God we worship cares for the birds of the air, providing them with all they need for sustenance, how much more will he do for us? “Therefore don’t worry…” he says in essence, “…trust God!”
Action
Regarding our response to circumstances and taking positive action in life to minimise stress and anxiety, there are a number of things that can be done. I’ve compiled a brief list of things that I find particularly effective. In another article, I’ll go through them in greater detail.
1. Lead a quiet life
2. Simplify your life
3. Move to the country
4. Minimize your commute to work or the children’s school
5. Live consistent to your values
6. Face anxieties with determination
7. Have no enemies or un-forgiveness
8. Never avoid a telephone call
9. Live a debt free life
10. De-clutter: get rid of things you have not used or worn in 12 months
11. Obey the law (file your tax returns, get your car insured etc.)
12. Never lie
13. Cut out negative people from your life
14. Be kind to all
15. Live a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise
No doubt you can add many more things to this list. The key is to be proactive. To deal with negative situations as they come and circumvent them as much as possible from happening in the first place. Walk with a peaceful heart toward God, and a peaceful mind toward life and I guarantee you’ll be happier, more fulfilled and all-together better off for it.
MM
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