How to Find the Peace We're Looking For

Chasing fireflies was one of my favorite things to do as a child. Only we didn’t call them fireflies here in the South. We called them lightning bugs. On warm summer evenings, my sister and I would see the sporadic flickers and run to the backyard, ready for the chase.

Those crazy lightning bugs were elusive. Every once in a while I’d catch one, but mostly I just chased them around.

Peace is like that sometimes.

I know what peace is. I read verses about it. But for some reason, I can’t seem to find it. I’m always looking, hoping it will just pop up in front of me where I can grasp it with cupped hands.

Once in a while, I get a hold of peace for a moment, but then I let go. I start seeking again and again. In the meantime, worry and stress make their home in my heart.

I’m sorry to say I’ve continued in this pattern, my never-ending quest for peace. Until recently when I read a verse I’ve poured over many times before. This time, God spoke a sobering truth to my spirit. I realized peace is not something to look for. It’s not a hidden treasure to find, or a goal to attain. We already have it.

”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV

The Peace of Jesus

When Jesus neared the end of His time on earth, He prepared his disciples. The words He shared with them weren’t just for the twelve, but for all believers. He left an incredible gift to us as well. Jesus gave us His peace.

The same peace Jesus had when he found out his friend Lazarus died.

The same peace Jesus had when the religious leaders accused him and tried to trap him.

The same peace Jesus had when the very people he set free yelled, “Crucify him!”

The same peace Jesus had when he hung on the cross.

I have that peace with me right now, guarding my heart, my mind, and my spirit. What an amazing gift! And if that peace could bring calm to the treacherous situations Jesus faced, imagine what it can do in my life right now.

So when we walk through our darkest times, when we’re in the midst of our hardest struggles, we can hold onto this promise. The same peace that carried Jesus through the cross will carry us today.

Maybe you feel a little like me. Maybe you’ve chased peace around like that elusive firefly. Know this truth, my friend. We can stop chasing. We only need to acknowledge the gift that’s already with us, ready to guard our hearts and minds against the turmoil that tries to lead us into an unending quest for relief.

Let’s stop searching, take a deep breath, and rest in His peace.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

Feeling Overloaded in Life? Here's How to Overflow with Hope Instead

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLT

I wrote an article recently about helping our kids have hope. In the article, I quoted the verse above and talked about modeling a life overflowing with hope for our kids. If you’d like to read more about it, this link will take you there.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that it’s impossible to overflow with hope when your life is overloaded with tasks.

Feeling Overloaded in Life? Here's How to Overflow with Hope Instead

These past few months have been hard. Maybe you’re in the middle of a hard place too. We know life is full of struggles, but knowing doesn’t make it any easier. How do we stop feeling overwhelmed? When difficulties arise, are we filled with joy and peace so that we’re ready to walk through them?

Not if we’re running on overload.

In the post When Chaos Causes Me to Lose My Focus, I told you about my Saturdays, and how the jobs I put off until the weekend build and build until I feel buried under the weight of my to-do list.

Unfortunately, I haven’t done a very good job of managing my overloaded schedule. So when hard stuff hit like a tidal wave, it knocked me off my feet. The result? Overwhelm. Confusion. Discouragement. Frustration. I didn’t realize I’d filled my life so full that I hadn’t left room for God to fill me up with what I really needed.

• When we keep adding and adding to the schedule, overload results.

• When we take on more than we can handle, overload results.

• When we try to control everything and everyone, overload results.

But when we guard against filling our lives with more tasks to accomplish, our hearts are free to receive God’s joy and peace.

Joy and peace - the two things we need most in order to overflow with hope.

May I share an honest discovery with you? I’ve been writing about busy schedules and overwhelmed lives for a while, but I didn’t understand how damaging living on overload could be. Until now.

So I’m making a commitment today, and if you’ve been struggling with an overloaded life too, I invite you to join me.

I commit to free myself from a schedule that has me wrapped up so tightly, I’m in danger of suffocating. I am releasing unnecessary tasks to make room for God to fill me with all the joy and peace my heart can hold.

Are you with me? Then this declaration is for us. When life overwhelms you, may we all embrace His gifts of joy and peace. This way whenever the hard stuff happens, we will have everything we need to fight off confusion, discouragement, or frustration and overwhelm. We will have hope that pours out and soothes even the deepest hurts. Renewed hope begins here.