Peace That Passes Understanding: 15 Reminders to Combat Anxiety
Have you ever lost sleep fretting over things you cannot control? Faced a struggle so deep and wide you wondered if you’d make it to the other side? Life is a filled with both beautiful and breaking moments. When difficulties grow disproportionate, it’s challenging to find peace for our threadbare souls. In the face of a significant struggle, when our faith is severely tested, it’s hard not to grow weary with worry or slip into a perpetual state of self-pity.
When the weight of circumstances sits heavy on our chest and anxiety looms like a threatening storm, it requires discipline to manage our thought life and align it with God’s. Overcoming these oppressive situations requires facing our fears, failings, and problems head-on while clinging to Jesus. This journey of faith, far beyond a pithy quote or a self-help mantra, is a transformative one that can empower us to traverse our struggles with renewed strength and hope.
God may not instantly change our difficult circumstances, but if we let him, he will allow them to change us. Trials offer an immense opportunity to grow our faith. That’s why James reframes struggles for us this way: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Although I long to “be mature and complete, not lacking anything,” I have yet to perfect the habit of shouting a resounding “yippee” when I’m blindsided by trouble. Still, as I’ve navigated trials with God, I’ve come to better understand where to place my hope and have developed a deeper trust than I would have otherwise. I still have a long way to go, but there is something about walking with God through the fire and emerging alive that purifies us. This refining both strengthens us and transforms us into stronger, more useful vessels for his purposes.
Clinging to God and embracing a heavenly perspective not only helps us avoid forfeiting the transformation we need but is also essential to maintaining a measure of peace in the fire. I’ve traversed numerous trials during my thirty-six year faith journey with God and have found that joy and peace are possible, even in the middle of the battle. Below are a collection of other things God has taught me through trials.
Fifteen reminders to help combat anxiety and find peace amidst our trials:
We have full access to God’s peace. Jesus assures us saying, “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 14:27-28).
We don’t need to be afraid. God is with us in the battle. He tells us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
We can take comfort that God cares for and protects us amid life's storms. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4).
We can rest assured that God is our refuge and deliverer. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2)
We can bring all our fears and anxious thoughts to God. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
We can ask for God’s wisdom and truth. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24)
We can surrender control to God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
We can learn to discipline our thought life and refuse to allow our thoughts to cycle through our brain unchecked. We can instead think about what we’re thinking about. Does it line up with the truth of God’s word? Is it true? “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
We can pray. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
We can refocus our thoughts. Paul tells us, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
We can find comfort and direction from scripture. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).
We can worship and find joy during the battle. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:1-2).
We can gather with others. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).
We can be thankful during (and for) the trials. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
We can rest. "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” (Matthew 11:28-30).
It may be the exception to experience peace and joy amid struggle, but it is possible. Anxiety shrieks, 'What if?' but faith whispers, 'Even if.' May we come to a place of rest—our souls safely settled under God’s feathers—with a peace that surpasses understanding and a faith refined, so we can declare: Even if... I will still trust God.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13
