How Can I Have Peace?

One of the best aspects of being in a saving relationship with God, through Christ, is the incredible peace He gives. It is not the peace that the world gives. It isn't temporary or based on circumstances, rather it is a deep, calm trust that resonates from within. It is not something of human origin. It cannot be conjured up or desired, and then realized. It is a peace that passes understanding. 

Whose understanding?                         

Our human understanding. 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7

Are you tired or working hard to try to feel good? Striving after something you simply cannot get your hands around? Feeling inadequate and then overcompensating by praising yourself and your own efforts to the point of embarrassing yourself, or feeling inadequate and expecting others to fill you up but they always fall short? Is it 'never enough' for you, in your own mind? Is there a nagging feeling deep inside that you are continually having to push to show others you ARE good enough, or you ARE somehow superior to them? 

This is often evidence of deep seated hurt, from the formative years or perhaps due to a single event. There is sometimes shame associated with it if abuse was part of the equation, and the fallout of that abuse was never dealt with properly. But sometimes we've managed to look at life and our place in it completely opposite of how God wants us to be looking at it, and that causes continual stress and anxiety. We want to be better, be the best, be good enough....for a standard that we set and move the goal posts on at random.

When Christ says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." That rest is DEEP. It is WIDE. It is ALL ENCOMPASSING. It takes away the bone tiredness and self-condemnation. In short, it sets the prisoner, FREE.  

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30

I will never forget the first time I heard that God loved me. And then when I learned that Jesus Christ had paid for my sins, ONCE and for ALL. I didn't have to work, couldn't work, enough. I was so tired of running, from something---to something...

There is freedom in a saving born-again relationship with Jesus Christ. Nothing else--not exercise, meditation, religion, friendship, philanthropy, community service, a better job, a different job, education....NOTHING compares with what God offers us through Jesus Christ. Whatever we 'give up' as a result of living for God pales in comparison to what we gain. I can promise you that.