In a world that is being increasingly chaotic, how do we find peace?

We certainly won’t find peace turning on the evening news. The other day I got in the car and the station was set to a news channel, within just a few minutes I changed the channel to a calming music station. The constant barrage of bad news sent my mood spiraling as I thought about all the chaos that is going on in my country and around the world. My soul was able to find a measure of calm by simply “changing the channel” and finding some music with uplifting lyrics that soothed and lifted me up.

I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while, ideas will flow to me, but then I have felt it wasn’t the right time. As I sat at my computer, ready to do some writing, a hymn came to mind. It’s called “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” I found myself humming it at first and then I looked over and sang the lyrics. I love all of the words of this beautiful hymn, and I want to share them with you:

‘Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.”

As I read through this hymn, I found much peace to my soul as I reflected on the words. I was reminded that there is always peace to the soul when we look to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He understands exactly what we are each going through.

It can feel so overwhelming and hopeless with all the crazy events that are happening in the United States and in the world right now. There seems to be so much anger, so much bitterness, rage and hatred. People are overwhelmed and frustrated, worried and tired and some even feel hopeless.

I was reading in Romans 12 and I was reflecting on the words I was reading and how we can have a hopeful outlook even when things might look really bleak. Hope grows when we have faith in something greater than us – when we look to God and trust in His plan, this is soil in which hope can grow. In Romans 12:2 I love that it says: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” I LOVE that it focuses on the RENEWAL of our minds. This really resonates with me as a life coach because I show my clients how it’s their brain/mind that can cause them all sorts of trouble by the thoughts that they think. Romans 12;12 shows us that we can renew our minds in Christ.

Throughout Chapter 12 in Romans we are reminded to have faith. Faith lends to hope and hope can give us peace no matter what the circumstances in our personal lives or whatever might be going on in the world. We are counseled to “cleave to that which is good, and to abhor that which is evil.” This brings us peace. We are further counseled to be kind, show brotherly love, not to be slothful, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, REJOICE in HOPE, be patient in tribulation (aren’t we all experiencing a lot of that right now?!), and we are counseled to “continuing in constant prayer.”

I can’t think of better counsel for these times.

So, how can we have a hopeful outlook in the midst of trying times? Look to the true source of peace: Jesus Christ. It’s in midst of trying times we can look to Him and know that He understands what we are going through. This gives us peace and hope. Without challenges, there’s no need for perseverance because perseverance is patience in action. “Be patient” in all things can feel like a tall order, but there are many blessings that await those that are patient and trust in His timing. My faith grows when things are not at ease, makes sense, doesn’t it?! This is where the greatest personal growth can come – as we rely on Him, trust in His plan and trust in His timing, we can find the peace and hope we need to get through these challenging times.

What we FOCUS on makes the biggest difference in terms of how we are going to feel. If we focus primarily on the storms around us, we are not going to find the peace that we desperately want. This is why it’s vital to understand that we can find peace by simply shifting our focus – this starts with the renewal of our mind.

Change your thoughts, change your life. Have your thoughts directed toward a loving Father in Heaven and Savior that know you and have a plan for YOU. This is where you will find the peace you are searching for.

xoxo,

Tammy

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