Biblical Tips for Finding Inner Peace

The Bible contains powerful ways that can help anyone experience greater peace of mind. God wants each of His children to be happy, and in the Bible, we find helpful tips to find peace amid the sorrows of life.

• Listen to the Lord. “ I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people “ (Psalm 85:8 NLV). We hear God’s voice when we read His words and heed the promptings of the Spirit. God’s word helps us to feast on God’s perfect love for us and teaches us how to become more like Him, which promotes inner peace.
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• Trust in God. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 NLV ) When we focus on thoughts on Christ and trust that He loves us and cares for us, He eases our burdens and binds up our broken hearts. God knows us and understands the challenges, trials, and sorrows that we experience. We are HIs precious children, and He will strength and bless us as we trust in Him.

• Don’t fear. Before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLV). Shortly before He was crucified, Jesus’ counseled His follower to love others as He loved them. When we live in a spirit of love, that love casts out fear.

• Do good. “Glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good….for God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:10 NIV). When we serve others, make good choices, and keep the commandments, God blesses us with inner peace, which is a gift of the Spirit.

• Be spiritually minded. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6 KJV). As we center our thoughts on the Savior and on things that are good, virtuous, and lovely, we are spiritually minded. Then the gifts of the Spirit--which include love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness-- can fill our hearts with peace.

Centering our hearts on God creates peace. As we think about Him, follow Him, love Him, and obey Him, He gives us the gift of peace—even when our lives are filled with suffering and sorrow. He asks us to come to Him when we feel burdened and overwhelmed and promises that He will give us rest, peace, and comfort. What a wonderful promise!


© Carol Brown

The Peace of Patience

My friend, Suzanne, who has know her share of trials and adversity, calls patience the "p" word because it sometimes seems difficult to not sweat the small stuff and to wait patiently on the Lord when life is difficult. Suzanne had undergone numerous surgeries and faces the challenges of poverty and loneliness with grace, yet some days she admits that she is too critical of herself and others. Although some are naturally patient--like my granddaught Chloe, who is amazingly patient for a two-year old, patience is a quality that each of us can develop more fully and is worth the effort.

St. Teresa of Avila, one of my favorite sages, said,

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things pass away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Patience comes when we allow God to become our strength, our hope, and our peace, even during times of suffering. Although trusting in God doesn't always come easily, when we do, it makes our life easy. I have learned that when we rely on Christ, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

So how do we increase in patience?

Breathe.

Before you speak or act in a negative manner, breathe deeply and ask yourself, "Does this promote peace? Is this a loving thing to say or do?" Sometimes, the most loving thing we can say is, "No. I wish I could but I can't right now." We cannot be everything to everyone and promote patience.

Focus.

Focus on God's perfect love for you. Focus of the fact that each one of us is a child of God. Picture Him as a loving Shepherd who is nourishing you, leading you beside still waters, and healing you. Picture His loving expression as He holds you in His arms. Remember that He carries you every moment of your life, not just when times are difficult, but every moment of every day.

Trust.

Give your problems, concerns and worries to God in prayer, trusting that He will carry your burdens and bind up your broken heart. Believe that God loves you more that you can even imagine and that He waits to help you face life's challenges. He longs for you to ask for His help. He stands at the door, waiting for you to knock.

Paul taught, "Be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good for each other and for all" (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15, NAB). In Galatians, patience is listed as one of the "fruit of the Spirit": "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law". (Galatians 5:21-23, NIV). In Timothy, the Bible states that "Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life".(1 Timothy 1:15-17, NIV).

May we follow the Savior's example, who forgave His enemies, served those who were forgotten or rejected, and who loved others perfectly. May we enjoy the peace of His patience.

© Carol Brown

The Healing Power of Love

Love is the most healing power in the universe. It can mend broken hearts, heal broken relationships, and bring peace to wounded spirits. In a world filled with contention, stress, and despair, we cannot love God, ourselves, or others too much.

Genuine love is not codependent, demanding, or critical. When we truly love, we forgive quickly, nurture willingly, and serve joyfully. Although love stretches our souls at times, it brings peace and comfort to our hearts.

We can do three simple things to bring loves healing power into our lives.

1. Ask God to fill your heart with love.

Take time to meditate each day. Breathe in God’s love, and breathe out your love for all of God’s creations. Breathe in God’s mercy, and breathe out forgiveness. Breathe in compassion, and breathe out loving kindness.

Please know that asking God to fill you with His love is a powerful request. Be prepared for God to give your some challenging opportunities to learn what unconditional love really feels like. Love will stretch your soul in ways that will test your patience and courage at times.

2. Ask God each morning whom He would have you serve.

He may want you to comfort a child, call a lonely friend, or visit a widow. He may want you to nurture yourself more fully so that you can better serve others. Seek to live so that He can direct you to those whom you can bless with your love.

3. Study the nature of God’s love.

God’s love is patient, kind, forgiving, merciful, long-suffering, gentle, meek, and enduring. His love reaches out to the poor, the sinner, the lonely, the sick, and the forgotten. As we love and serve others, we are truly loving and serving God. This is the miracle of love.

In a world where so many are selfish, greedy, and cruel, love becomes a beacon of hope to those who are hopeless. It offers solace to those who are grieving, comfort to those who mourn, and peace to those who overwhelmed with despair.

Ask God how you can learn to love as He loves. Let Him teach you how to better love yourself and others. Ask whom He would have you serve today.

Then listen. He will guide your paths in gentle and peaceful ways.



© Carol Brown

Peaceful Living

Since last year was a particularly difficult one for my family, I am seeking to create a more peace-filled life this year. Although I was coping well with my own health challenges, when one of my children faced significant health struggles, I found it easy to become worried, anxious, and depressed. When I failed to meditate, live in the moment, and express gratitude, I discovered life became very difficult for me.

Here are a few tips that will make this year more peaceful for me and for each of us.

1. Peace is a priceless gift which God gives those who focus on His love and walk in His light. When we center our thinking on a Higher Power rather on worldly worries, we experience greater peace. Reading the Bible or other inspired literature daily can enhance our ability to experience serenity.

2. Choose your friends wisely. Some people are peace-zappers. They live with chaos and contention and want you to experience the same distress. Seek out friends and mentors who walk in peace and learn from their examples. These people do not seek addictive substances or habits to dull their senses but enjoy the everyday beauties of life.

3. Set appropriate boundaries. Don’t try to run faster than you can walk. Turn off your phone when you want to spend quality time with your family. Say “no” nicely when people ask you to overextend yourself or do things that steal your joy. Turn off television programs and music that do not enhance serene living.

4. Seek the Spirit. God wants you to have peace, but you cannot experience it if you lack the Spirit in your life. Paul teaches us that the fruits of the spirit are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Live in such a manner that you invite the Spirit into your life. Wholesome thoughts, literature, entertainment, and music enhance our spirituality and our peace.

5. Live in the moment. As we live in the moment, we do not worry about the future or fret about the past. We experience the present gift of life with gratitude and joy. Mother Teresa said, "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin."

May this be a peace-filled year for you and your loved ones. Hopefully, one--or more--of these ideas will help you experience greater serenity as you face the challenges and joys of everyday living.


© Carol Brown

Dejunking Your Life

I love to watch shows where organizers help families dejunk their homes. It's fun to see professionals help their clients decide which of their possessions they should keep, donate, or discard. How healing it would be if we extended this process to our daily lives.

Which of our activities need to be kept? Which of our actions and thoughts empower us and help us to enjoy everyday life? What activities bring you joy and help you fulfill your life's purpose?

Which of our activities need to be donated? Could we give up some activities and replace them with those that truly enhances our lives? Is there something we can do to better nurture ourselves and those we love? Do we need to give myself permission to relax and have more fun?

What activities can we discard? Is there some clutter in our mind or life that is keeping us from enjoying our lives? Are there some activities that we need to say "no"to? Can we turn off the cell phone, computer, or cd player for a while so we can better hear the still small voice of the Spirit? Are some negative thoughts keeping us from enjoying everyday living? If so, which ones can we discard today?

Confucius said, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." As we simplify our lives, we have more time and energy to spend with people with love doing things we enjoy. Time spent communing with God, meditating or journaling, or enjoying the beauties of nature is invaluable but costs nothing. As we remove the clutter from our lives, we find that we feel happier and more peaceful.

© Carol Brown