Easier Lost than Found
Anyone who has tried to drive south on 270 at rush hour knows that it is easy to lose your peace here in St. Louis. But it is not always driving that does it. Sometimes it is a phone call with a parent, or a partner, or an “it’s complicated” that leaves you furious, anxious, or demoralized every time they call. Other times it is just a child that will not take a nap or the chaos of keeping up with their schedule. Sometimes politics and news can steal it. Other times, you just wake up sad or crabby. Whatever it may be, it can seem like if you ever do find times of peace, it is very few and far between. What would life be like if you had more peace in your life? What would your relationships and marriage look like? How would you feel? What if I told you that there are practical steps to actually help you find more peace in your life? Keep on reading to find out how!
St. Louisans Are Stressed
Did you know that St. Louis ranked as the number 11th most stressful city in the United States? It scored higher than places like New York City, Chicago, and even Los Angeles. Across the country, 63% of Americans in general say they are overwhelmed by busyness in their life. These statistics should tell you that you are not alone in feeling stressed, but it should also tell you that you need to take committed action steps towards finding true peace if you are going to find what others have not.
Thankfully, Jesus offers you a promise that is still valuable today. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, New International Version). Being stressed is not new. But it is not the way you were meant to live. By following these five steps, they will help you draw closer to the only One who can offer you a true peace that can last through whatever life throws at you. Jesus is the only one who can offer you what the Bible calls “peace which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7, New King James Version).
Why? Because St. Louis has a heart problem. People are struggling to find meaning, dealing with anger from the frustration of where they are at or how they are treated, and ultimately have a dissatisfaction with where they are in life. Do you find yourself jealous when your neighbor gets a new car? Disappointed because you thought you would be farther than you are right now? Or maybe you are discomforted by the fact that while you have a good job and a good home, life still somehow feels empty, like there should be more to it than this.
People have tried to solve this problem in multiple ways. Whether through protests, new laws, school strategies, and more, yet the problems still remain. The Bible actually tells us that this world is so broken because of what it calls sin (Romans 3:23). People try to solve heart problems by searching for more money, more success, more relationships, ultimately to be left disappointed every time. The only thing that can solve a heart problem is faith. Faith can give you the hope you need. It can offer peace, purpose, and community that can leave you with a whole new experience in life. And Jesus is the only one powerful enough to do it.
5 Ways to Find Peace
1. Bible-Reading
The first step that will help you find peace in your life is beginning to read the Bible. This is a proven book that has offered peace, inspiration, and instruction to people for thousands of years. In fact, studies by the American Bible Society have shown that people who read their Bible regularly report 30% less stress than those who do not. Not only that, but other studies have shown that for those who read their Bible regularly, loneliness dropped 30%, anger dropped 32%, relationship bitterness dropped 40%, among other practical benefits.
If nothing else has worked for you, and that many people are reporting notably positive impacts in their life, maybe it is time for you to try something different. Maybe it is time to commit to reading your Bible. The Psalmist says that “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV). In times of stress and chaos, the Bible is a place where God can always speak to you, offer you direction, hope, and encouragement and lead you to a peace that nothing and no one else can.
What is the easiest way to get started? If you do not own a Bible, that is okay. You can easily download a free Bible using the YouVersion app (https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/). Download the app and then choose a version of the Bible that you can understand. While King James may be what you have heard of, it can be very difficult to a modern reader. Versions like the New International Version, the English Standard Version, the New Living Translation or even the Message may all be more understandable varieties.
Once you have the app, commit to a daily time to reading your Bible. If you read just 15 minutes a day, you could read through the Bible in a year. Set aside time with your morning coffee, or during your lunch break, or whenever you know you will have 15 minutes every day, and commit to reading. When you are reading, do not worry if you do not understand every single topic. You will learn over time. But simply read and see what it reveals to you about who God really is, what He has done for others, and what that means He can do for you. Some people find it helpful to journal these notes. That way, as you read, you will be compiling a source of promises that you can remind yourself of whenever you are stressed, and find the peace that God has promised you that He is always with you and He is in control.
2. Prayer
A second way to help you find peace is through prayer. Many people can be confused by prayer, believing it to just be a ritual, repeating seemingly meaningless words, or a spiritual wishing well, listing your desires and demands to the universe. But prayer is more than this. Prayer is entering into the presence of God and communicating with Him. You can tell Him what is going on in your life. You can laugh with Him, cry with Him, get angry with Him, but the key is that you do it WITH Him. The Bible says that, “his sheep know his voice” (John 10:4, NIV). When communicating with God, it is a time for you to both speak to Him, but also to be silent and hear from Him as well. Remember, it is a conversation with Him. Let Him offer hope, encouragement, and ultimately peace as you spend time with the One who can give you rest.
Yet again, studies have shown that prayer can verifiably bring you peace. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine published a trial that showed that prayer had resulted in improvements in depression and anxiety and increases in spiritual experiences and optimism. You can experience the peace of God and experience improvements in your own mental health by choosing to commit to prayer.
Each day, you can commit to praying at least 5 minutes every day. It can be on your commute to work, in between meetings, while at the gym, or anywhere you can find just a few spare minutes. And then pray to God. Many have found something called the ACTS method to be helpful. ACTS is an acronym that stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. These are just steps you can use to help guide your prayer. Adoration is simply acknowledging God’s greatness and finding peace that He is in control. Confession is a time to repent of those ways in which you have sinned or fallen short of God’s perfect standard and finding peace instead of guilt and shame. Thanksgiving is just taking time to count your blessings and thanking God for them, finding peace in what God has already done. Finally, supplication is a time where you offer your requests to God and find peace that He will help you. Through prayer, you can experience the peace you have always wanted.
3. Worship
Rather than dwelling on the size of your problems, shift your perspective to find peace in the greatness of your God. This can be done through worship. The psalmist actually says, “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3, King James Version). God inhabits the praises of His people. He is there with you when you worship. Peace and joy become available within His presence. By changing your perspective to focus on the greatness of God, those things keeping you from having peace begin to shrink away in comparison.
Find time in your day to worship each day. Just like prayer, worship can be done anywhere. Worship while you are in the car on the way to work or while exercising at the gym. Find local worship nights at churches you can attend. Show up early enough to church to participate in worship. This is a simple yet powerful step in helping you find peace.
4. Fasting
Fasting in general has become rather trendy lately. Intermittent fasting has gained traction as an effective weight loss method. But science has discovered fasting has even more health benefits. It can help promote healthy blood sugar and heart health, reduce inflammation, boost brain function, extend longevity, and may even help prevent cancer. However, even though this has become rather trendy and popular today, the benefits of fasting are nothing new to Christians. The Bible has promoted fasting for thousands of years. God has instructed us that fasting is an important element of encountering God’s presence and comes with spiritual benefits, as well.
Jesus shares a parable about fasting that can be helpful in understanding how to find more peace through spiritual practices. When others asked Jesus why His followers did not fast while Jesus was with them, He said, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15, NIV). If your lack of peace is in direct correlation with being unable to feel God’s presence, then fasting (with prayer) might be where you need to start. Jesus here admits that when He is near, there is no need to fast. However, when He is no longer near, His disciples will need to fast sometimes to find Him. Fasting can help reorient your mind from the needs of this world, and instead helps you to place your dependence on God. Through this spiritual practice you can begin to find more of God’s peace in your life.
5. Serving
The final key to finding peace is shifting your focus outward by serving others. Proverbs 11 says that, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25, NIV). When you refresh others, you will be refreshed yourself. Perhaps the reason you struggle to find peace is you have been focusing too much on how to solve your own needs and cannot stop looking at your own problems. By helping others, you can escape this endless cycle or worry and discouragement, and instead God says that He will refresh you when you help others.
Find someone this week whom you can serve. Maybe that is raking your neighbor’s leaves, or paying for the car behind you at a restaurant. Whatever it is, find ways each day to serve others, and watch how the peace and refreshing of God will come upon your life.
Find Peace Today
The reason you have read this far is probably because you are in need of peace and what you have been trying has not been working. Seeking peace through money, jobs, relationships, or entertainment will never be enough. The only way to find a peace that lasts through anything life can throw at you is by trusting Jesus Christ and following His plans for your life. The Bible promises that “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3, NIV). As you trust in God and follow His steps for your life, you can find a peace beyond all understanding.
That said, thankfully, you do not have to do it alone. God has created His Church so that you can find this peace together with other people who can encourage you and bless you. Here at Revelation Church STL, we do this through offering small groups. These small groups allow you to get tied into a community of people who want to help you continue these practices and who want to grow closer to God together. If you want to be a part of these communities, sign up for a small group using the link below!
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