How can I find peace of mind?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible often talks about peace in both the Old Testament and the New. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word used for peace is shalom which denotes not only peace but also a sense of well-being, prosperity, and wholeness. In the New Testament, the Greek word most often used for peace is eirene which also denotes prosperity and rest, but it also includes the idea of joining together as one. Peace of mind cannot be found without peace with God. Once a person has received the forgiveness of sins by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus, they can have peace with God and peace of mind. Since God has given believers His Spirit as a comforter and guide, we can continually rest in the knowledge of His care for us. Additionally, as we study God’s Word, focus our minds on Him, and bring our thoughts and prayers to Him, we can have abundant peace.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Isaiah 9:6 prophetically refers to the Messiah (Jesus Christ) as the "Prince of Peace."
• Interestingly, the Holy Spirit is mentioned as a source of peace even in the Old Testament (Isaiah 32:15–18).
• Psalm 119:165 provides one practice to increase our experience of peace. It says, "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble."
• Isaiah 26:3 says, speaking of our need to focus on God, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus told His disciples they could have peace through the coming of His Spirit. He said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).
• Because of our sinful nature, humanity's relationship to God has been fractured. We are blessed because Jesus reconciled us to God "making peace by the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:20).
• The peace Christ brings is not just reconciliation to God, but to one another. Referring to Gentiles and Jews, Ephesians 2:14–18 explains: “For he himself [Jesus] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
• Paul explains that because "we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).
• Paul expresses the need for rejoicing and thankfulness: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4–7).
• Peace is a natural outflow of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives; it is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23.
• Believers are told, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).
• We serve "the Lord of peace himself [who can] give you peace at all times in every way" (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
• We can be reassured of peace by learning that "for those who love God all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28).
• We hear Jesus say, “in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
• Likewise, Romans 8:6 says, "to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and our acceptance of it through faith, God restores our relationship to Himself and sets us at peace with Him. Only then can a believer experience God's peace "which surpasses all understanding." Jesus gifted peace to His followers not only while He walked the earth, but He continues to do so through the Holy Spirit even today. Our triune God is a God of peace, and He gifts His peace to His people. However, there are ways the Bible encourages us to experience a greater extent of peace, or in other words, to "let the peace of Christ rule in [our] hearts" (Colossians 3:15). Studying Scripture brings peace to those who love God's Word. As we study His Word, we learn who God is and our trust in Him can increase. Scripture is filled with reassuring verses that remind us of the truth about the God we serve.

We can also experience peace by focusing our minds on God and the truth about how big, capable, and loving our God is; this increases our trust in Him and gives us peace. We are told to "be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2). Another way the Bible encourages us to find peace is through conversing with God in prayer. While we can "stop telling God how big our problems are and start telling our problems to a big God," as the saying goes, we should still bring our problems to God (1 Peter 5:7). Bringing our anxieties and requests to God will bring peace (Philippians 4:6–7; Hebrews 4:14–16). It’s important to recognize that even in our anxieties, we are called to approach God with thanksgiving—to be on the lookout for His hand of blessing in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). We can experience more of God’s peace as we pay attention to what God has done and is doing for us, as we bring our anxieties to Him in prayer, as we focus our minds on the truth of who He is, and as we love and study His Word.

UNDERSTAND

• Peace of mind comes from peace with God through faith in Christ.
• The Holy Spirit provides peace in our everyday lives.
• God's peace surpasses understanding.

REFLECT

• How does your peace with God impact the peace in your everyday life?
• How can you renew your mind to trust God more deeply and experience His peace?
• How can you bring your requests to God with thanksgiving to find peace?

ENGAGE

• How does the peace given by Jesus differ from the peace the world offers, and how does it surpass understanding?
• What is the difference between God’s peace and an emotional reaction?
• What are some practical ways we can encourage each other to trust God and focus on Him in times where we need peace?