Find peace in the storm with Jesus. Life’s challenges are inevitable, but His peace surpasses all understanding.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
I’m 44 years old and I am finally catching on to the fact that life will always have a challenge happening—whether it’s about you or someone you love. Some will be harder than others but there will always be something. So please know, you are not alone in your struggle.
As we know, Jesus never promised us a life without storms. In fact, He tells us several times we will face trials. He also reminds us He will always be with us through them. Hard things in life happen because we live in an imperfect world. But that doesn’t mean God has abandoned us to it. In fact, trials are opportunities to learn to walk in God’s peace.
The Source of Peace
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:7
The secret to finding peace is recognizing Jesus is peace. Peace is in the Person of Jesus. When we feel we’re being tossed by the waves, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and not the storm. How does that look practically?
Open His Word. Read His promises. Dig in to find what He wants of you. We often enter storms unprepared and unprotected. Storms are inevitable but being tossed by them isn’t. We can ground ourselves by reamaining in the Word every day and staying anchored in prayer.
It’s not for us to control the storms but to trust the One who can carry us through it.
The Example of Jesus in the Storm
When the disciples encountered the storm while on the sea, Jesus didn’t panic. In fact, he was so at rest he slept through it! He calmed the storm because the disciples were panicked. It was His way of demonstrating that He was in control and they had nothing to fear.
No matter what our external circumstances look like, our peace can be rooted in the trust of our Heavenly Father.
Maybe you’re thinking you’ve heard this all before. But hearing it isn’t enough—we need to walk in it. We need to believe it. We need to trust Him. We need to keep our eyes on Him and not the storm. We need to trust that He will manage things in His own way—which is always the best way.
The Role of Faith in Peace
Faith is another word for belief or trust. Many of us struggle with trust because we’ve been hurt one too many times by people. But God is not people. God is God. Peace is deeply connected to our faith. Jesus often asked His disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).
Faith in God’s sovereignty gives us the courage to trust that He’s working in and through our storms. Until we put our full trust in God, we will continue to be anxious over the things we cannot control.
As children of God, He has given us some amazing privileges—access to His peace is one of them. The more we lean on His promises, the more we experience His peace.
God’s Presence Brings Calm
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. -Psalm 23:4
God’s presence in the storm is the true source of our peace. It’s not that the storm goes away immediately, but that we are never alone in it. He can provide us a peace that makes no sense to the world. The world could be falling apart around us and we can stand confident in Him by simply walking with Him. Recognizing God’s nearness helps us hold onto peace, knowing that He is sovereign over all circumstances.
Peace in the Midst of Uncertainty
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
-Romans 8:28
We can’t walk in God’s peace if we’re too busy blaming Him. It’s easy to blame God because He’s all powerful, therefore He could prevent or stop the situation. But the real culprits are the consequences of sin in the world and the Enemy who’s prowling around feeding us lies about who’s fault it is.
All we need is a little doubt; a little mistrust and Satan is right there growing that doubt into blaming God rather than trusting Him. In uncertain times, we may not always have the answers, but we can still experience peace by trusting in God’s eternal nature and His promises. Even when we don’t see it immediately, we can trust He is at work.
Practical Ways to Experience Peace
How can we tap into this amazing peace God offers?
Spend time in prayer, bringing your fears and anxieties before God. He listens and offers peace right there.
Stay grounded in God’s Word. Meditating on His promises helps to calm the storm within us and feed us with Truth.
Surround yourself with reminders of God’s faithfulness—worship music, scripture cards, or moments of stillness can help you stay focused on God’s peace.
God’s peace is not like the world’s peace. The world’s peace is temporary and circumstantial. God’s peace is eternal and surpasses understanding. Trusting in this peace doesn’t mean the storm disappears, but it does mean we are held and sustained through it. Take heart in knowing that peace is available to you right now, no matter what storm you’re facing. Jesus offers us rest.
Allow yourself to rest in His peace today, trusting He is with you, even in the hardest storms.
In His Peace,
Christin
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