Peace Stealers!

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough! You are a God who does what’s right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them. Isaiah 26:3

Advent is upon us and with its arrival comes the inevitable hustle and bustle that goes with this season of the year. The season of Peace on earth, good will toward man can become the season of stress, impatience, and selfishness.

This week we ran into some dear friends, and when we asked how they were doing, the answer was sobering. He said, “Well, we just go from one crisis to the other!” These words are sad, but true of so many of us!

In this world of today, we don’t just have normal stress all around us, we have cyber stress. We all seem to be tied to our cell phones, our iPad, our computer, our television programs, and a world of other technology. Everything is based on how much we can do and how quickly we can get it done! It is said that increasing our pace has decreased our peace. Therapist Ofer Zur is quoted as saying, “We’ve become obsessed with speed. We end up with lots of plans that we can’t execute and a full schedule that can’t be followed.”

Adding to our peace stealers is everyday stress. A trip to the grocery store will show that prices have doubled lately, gas prices are sky high, and the cost of living seems to have skyrocketed in the last nine months or so. All of us are worrying about how to cope with times like these? Paul Harvey is said to have addressed this issue when he said, “In times like these, it’s helpful to remember there have always been times like these!”

The question is not “Will problems come?” The question is, “How will we handle them?” Things will come along to steal our peace. How do we then maintain a sense of peace?

First, it’s good to ask ourselves, “Who or what is stealing our peace?” We really can’t know who or what to blame unless we know the triggers in our lives that steal our peace. Is it work? Is it finances? Is it illness? Is it a certain person? Is it mental or physical exhaustion? Once we know what causes the loss of peace, we can begin to know what to avoid. The worst thing we can do is give in to the feeling of despair or hopelessness.

Years ago there was an exterminator who came to service our house the first Saturday of every month. It didn’t take long for me to know that this man stole my peace every time he came by pointing out things which inconvenienced him. In order to regain our peaceful Saturdays, we made it possible for me to be absent during those monthly visits. It worked like a charm, and my peace was restored!

Secondly, give the stealer to God and start to focus on other things. It’s a proven fact that redirecting our thoughts can bring peace back into our lives. As soon as we become aware that we are starting to worry and lose our sense of peace, take it to God immediately and leave it with Him. Paul writes, Whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable of respect, whatever is lovely and brings peace, think continually on these things. Philippians 4:8

Finally, find out what God says to us in His word about the situation facing us. When we find the answer then we need to align our thoughts, words, and actions with it. It’s easy to fall into the habit of doubting, worrying, and wondering if God has forsaken us and that after all we’ve been through, our situations will end in failure. We should never doubt God. The scripture says, Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Then you will experience God’s peace. Philippians 4:7

The Bible says, Search for peace and work to maintain it. Psalm 34:14 When we know that God loves and accepts us unconditionally, it sets us free to do the same for ourselves. God’s peace is a wonderful thing!

Alexander MacLaren says, “True peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.”

The words of the hymn, It Is Well With My Soul by Philip Paul Bliss and Horatio Spafford lend itself to this situation. When peace like a river attendeth my way; When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, It is well, with my soul.