Just a moment of peace and quiet. Doesn’t that sound heavenly?
When my kids were small, I used to tell myself, “If only I can make it until they go to bed. Then I’ll be able to relax and enjoy a peaceful moment.” But when they became teenagers, I couldn’t stay awake until their bedtime!
Some nights I’d announce, “Mom’s retiring at 9:30. See you in the morning.” Then my husband and I could spend a few quiet moments with no loud music and no conversation about Woodstock, gay marriage, or Obamacare. (Our teens like to talk about a variety of topics.)
Peace and quiet are rare commodities in today’s world.
“If I could go on vacation, then I’d enjoy some tranquility,” we say.
“If I had more money in the bank, I’d feel more secure.”
“When the kids stop screaming, I can calm down.”
“If only my ex-husband would stop harassing me and leave me alone.”
Jesus came to give us the gift of peace.
Peace with God. Rest from the stress and noise of life. Freedom from our burdens
The peace Jesus came to give goes so much deeper than the peace that the world gives. Peace from the world depends on a quiet evening, a vacation, or reconciliation in a broken relationship. The inner calm that Jesus offers is a super natural gift that we can receive in the middle of less-than-perfect circumstances.
Let’s get intentional about receiving that gift.
The next time you feel anxious or burdened, how about stopping a moment and praying:
“Lord, thank you for the gift of peace. I receive it by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, come and rule over my heart. I give my worries to you, and I choose to trust you. Pour your peace over my relationships, and help me to walk in the freedom that comes with your forgiveness.”
Whether we’re in a traffic jam or on the couch with the kids, a prayer like this invites more of Jesus into our lives. We take one baby step toward receiving His peace.
The peace that Jesus offers goes beyond a moment. Learning to receive it and to walk in it takes a lifetime, but we can start today.
Now it’s your turn: Would you describe yourself as a peaceful person? What’s your greatest barrier to receiving God’s gift of peace?
If you want to learn about how you can experience peace that goes beyond the moment, check out Lisa Murray’s new book Peace for a Lifetime. “You can cultivate peace in both calm and difficult situations,” Lisa writes. “Peace is not a feeling. Peace is a way of life.”
Peace for a Lifetime makes a good companion for anyone who wants to make the journey toward finding more inner peace. A licensed Christian counselor and therapist, Lisa Murray draws on both clinical knowledge and biblical insight to suggest a path towards what she calls “emotional abundance.” Lisa covers topics like fortifying our foundations, nurturing ourselves, healing from past wounds, finding our identity in Christ, and cultivating healthy relationships.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the “Stepping Stones” section at the end of most chapters. The stepping stones include self-evaluation questions and ideas for applying what you’re learning to your life. This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about emotional wellness.
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I’m linking up with Holly Barrett’s Testimony Tuesday, Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Tuesday Talk with Ruthie Gray, Jennifer Dukes Lee’s #TellHisStory, Holley Gerth’s Coffee for Your Heart, Lyli Dunbar’s Thought-Provoking Thursday, and Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
Photo Credit: Melika
Peace and quiet seem such a rare commodity some days – especially in this season of mothering. So thankful for how Jesus can do so much to give our hearts peace, even in the small bits of time we can carve out to just be with him.
Praying for grace for you now, Kathryn. I know the season you’re in, friend. May He give you special grace in those small bits of time!
Amen to these words today! God’s peace is there and we just need to be willing to reach out and receive it. Loved these words today… “The peace that Jesus offers goes beyond a moment. Learning to receive it and to walk in it takes a lifetime, but we can start today.” Praying we all start to receive the peace of Jesus today.
Amen, Mary. Praying for you now, friend, as I know your circumtances have been challenging. Hope your dad is doing well.
Strange thing: as I uploaded this post last night, I started to feel ANXIOUS over all I have to do. I laughed at myself, and prayed for God to give me His peace!
Peace does seem harder to find today. I like to think on my favorite Bible verse… Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God. Sometimes you have to just stop and take the time to find peace. Not easy, I babysit 4 kids! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I love that verse, Debbie! I imagine you need it while babysitting 4 kids! Blessings to you.
Smiling as I recall the days of 7:00 bedtimes for all the kids.
These days I hear the heavy footsteps of teen sons trooping up the stairs while I’m already in bed reading. Thanks be to God that we can find peace with Him in spite of the state of our tired physical bodies.
Amen, Michele. Peace comes from Him alone. In Him and through Him too.
Your words are literally a breath of fresh air for me today, Betsy. I used to think about peace as something like a unicorn, a really cool thought but not real. As my faith has grown, I have found true peace. Jesus is truly the only road to this gift. John 14:27 is one of my favorite verses. Thank you for sharing that version. I haven’t seen it before. I always forget to check other versions out. It really opens up the verse so much more when we do that. I hope you have a wonderfully peaceful day :).
Thanks for the encouragement, Candace! I hope you’ll have a peaceful day, too. I’m giving it my best shot! Praying. Since I have a to-do list a mile long today. 🙂 I hope you walk in His grace today, too!
Yes, I liked the NLT version for this verse. I have a couple of versions I routinely look at. Love using my phone for that right next to my Bible.
Oh, for sure! Peace and quiet is hard to come by with my kids home on spring break! Sometimes I just need them to be quiet so I can think. But maybe I’ll pray instead!
Oh Liz! I hear ya! When my kids were home all day, everyday, due to homeschool, sometimes I about lost it! We had an enforced “quiet time.” Everyone in their room after lunch. But that only worked well a few years. I’m praying too since we just started back to school, which translates into less quiet for me.
Funny how everyone’s life is different. Grace to you today, friend.
I cherish the “peace and quiet” of my day when my son’s at school or at camp and not constantly seeking my attention! But I also see what you mean about being more intentional about accepting God’s peace even in the times of chaos or noise. Like so many of God’s gifts, it’s right there to be received from Him. By definition peace isn’t something we strive and struggle for. Thanks for this reminder.
It’s so funny Betsy..ever since the stroke, I go crazy when there is too much peace and quiet! My mind wanders as I wonder if I am being productive enough today. Although I do so enjoy my quiet time with my Savior. This morning something unexpected occurred and i definitely need His peace. My mind began to jump into scramble mode but i decided that prayer was a much better option. i’m not sure what will happen but I know He will make things work out for the good. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this beautiful passage. I definitely needed it today. Have a wonderful week and blessings to you and yours my friend!
Sorry about your unexpected event, Horace. May God pour out his peace on you. Supernaturally.
I can relate to wondering if you’re doing enough when there’s “too much peace and quiet.” When I’m busy, I complain about being tired, when life slows down, I wonder if I’m being productive. Lord, give us balance!
Betsy, I am still relishing the quiet of the evenings, so it made me laugh so imagining my girls as teenagers wide-eyed while I fall asleep in the middle of their sentences. It’s coming at me fast! I have also grown to love and appreciate my quiet house during the day while my 5 an 7 year olds are at school. So, when they both got sick back to back and invade my space, I had to say one the prayers you suggested here! And you know what? I put my agenda down for days and didn’t lose much ground at all. My daughters and I wend for walks, cuddled and watched Barbie movies, chit chatted and just hung out with the dog. I’m amazed at how God makes time in my day and in my life when I give it back to Him. He created time, after all…if there’s something pressing I need to be doing…He’ll make sure there’s room for it in my day. Now I’m back to missing them while they are both back at school today, but what a glorious lesson God weaved into the last week of my life. Thank you for this intuitive piece today! It really brought it all together!
Happy Tuesday! Visiting from #TestimonyTuesday
Megs
I’m retired but that peace and quiet is hard to come by when the grandsons are here, and my hubby is talking about retiring and it’s like there goes the peace and quiet. HA!
I am a peaceful person and love being a homebody.
Ah yes, I never thought of it like that, or put it into word! You are right Jesus peace is a supernatural peace one we can only find from Him. It is the peace that surpasses all understanding!! Ah! I needed that this week with teenager issues..and couldn’t quite find it until yesterday when an inkling of faith and God’s grace visited me..thank you Lord! Great post!
Oh, I know how those teenager issues are, Kathy. I hope God’s grace and peace continue surrounding you! Oh for wisdom! I need it too.
Betsy, your blog looks fabulous! Way to go, friend. This book was such a blessing to me. Thanks for sharing it here. There are so many who need this message of peace.
Thanks, Abby. Yes, I pray that God will use Lisa’s book to touch many with His peace.
Betsy,
Oh, I’m slowly learning to receive God’s gift of peace as I learn to trust….such a process. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Right? A slow process for me. But progress is something, isn’t it?
Betsy, I am claiming that prayer right now! Homeschooling 4 kids can definitely limit my peaceful, quiet times! But I don’t have to lose my peace… even when wildlife and fisheries shows up at my door to tell me their going in my backyard to catch a 7ft gator that was reported! My peace comes Jesus- the Prince of Peace. Thanks for that reminder today, it came right when I needed it! Linking up with you at Tuesday Talk.
7 foot gator? Oh my. That calls for peace from the Prince of Peace for sure. I can imagine that your quiet times are few and far between Alisa. Grace to you, friend. Thanks for visiting from #TuesTalk.
If we wait for peace to come into our lives, it never will. We can have the peace Christ gives – not as the world gives (which isn’t true peace) but God’s real, true peace. I loved your prayer, need to write it down and use it!
Also yeah – you can’t outlast teenagers OR young adults on the whole waiting till they go to bed thing. We can’t hang!!! (My 22 year old gets wound up at 9:00PM every night. It’s the strangest thing – I try very hard not to get annoyed as I am winding down and on my last bit of patience! LOL. But I remind myself – she’s not here much, and before long, she won’t be here at all!!
That’s great perspective. What I try to tell myself when certain individuals want to have a heart to heart talk at 10:00 pm. You’re right. we can’t outlast ’em!
Betsy, you’re so right. Our peace shouldn’t rely on a quiet exterior in our lives. When we walk, trusting Jesus, no matter the circumstances, we can walk in peace. It doesn’t always feel peaceful, but choosing to trust Him with everything gives us the peace we crave.
I love how you differentiated between the world’s peace and God’s peace. There’s a world of difference between the two!
Beautiful post!
You’re right, Jeanne. It doesn’t always FEEL peaceful, even though we wish it did! But we’re learning, right?
Peace and quiet makes room for the mind to settle into God. Yet we have such a battle to find quiet and sometimes to even feel comfortable with it. Lisa’s book sounds fabulous. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Yes, you’re right that half the battle is finding quiet, half the battle is being comfortable with it. Never thought of that. Thank you for reading today, Ginger.
Oh boy do I identify with this Betsy! There was a stage where I had a college kid and teens who would start a conversation at 11 pm and then teeny ones who were up with the sun. 😀 I’m really looking forward to this book. It’s in my cart b/c you all have spoken about it so highly!
I know you can relate, Lisa. I don’t know how you do it all. Supernatural grace is my only answer.
Beautiful post!
Betsy,
I do consider myself a peaceful person, but I admit that I often keep my frustrations bottled up which isn’t good either. I, too, bought into the myth that if I just got through this phase, or this season, things would be more calm and peaceful. Unfortunately like doesn’t go that way. We can find the peace that only Christ can give, but we(I) need to be intentional in seeking Him and asking for His peace. Great reminder!
Blessings,
Bev
Yes, Bev, being intentional about receiving the blessings God has is half of our battle! Blessings on your day.
You are I are totally on the same wavelength this week! (My post today is a prayer for stress relief.) I am desperate for some peace and quiet these days. Here’s to taking baby steps toward receiving Jesus’ peace!
Oh, I’m going to have to read your prayer for stress relief. It’s funny, right after I hit publish this week, the anxiety began! God always gives me opportunities to put into practice what I write! 🙂
In a historical context — peaceful would not normally describe me– though I looked calm on the outside there always seemed to be worry brewing on the inside. I would take a day off from work- a self imposed time out- to hole up in my house while everyone else was gone and just bask in the silence of no tvs and noise. It worked for the moment– but was only peace from the noise of the world like you described. Just recently I have started to learn how to really harness that peace that Jesus gives through praying prayers similar to yours and in addition to peace– real lasting peace– I’m starting to find joy and a whole host of other fruits of the spirit that have been hidden deep down! Thanks for your heartfelt post today and yes teenagers are a hoot! I have a 19 yr old and it never ceases to amaze me that he always want to have deep discussions around 11PM… Zzz But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Have a great day Betsy!
Thanks for your words today, Heather. I like the thought of harnessing the peace that Jesus gives through prayer. So well said!
I am focusing on peace this year, and boy, what a difference it makes! It can be a constant struggle some days, but I am getting there. 🙂
That’s great to hear, Sarah. What a wonderful focus. I need more peace for sure.
Yes, yes, Betsy! Even in the noise and commotion, I can choose to embrace the quiet, the still, the peaceful that reside somewhere deep.
Weekend blessings to you, friend …
Thanks, Linda. Hope you have a good weekend, too!
Boy, there are days when I desperately need peace and the biggest barrier to peace is me! I can fill my time up with everything else besides the one thing that will truly satisfy — God’s peace. I’m so glad for reminders like yours, Betsy, that point me back to Christ.
Blessings to you this weekend, dear friend!
Thanks for your encouragement, Marva. Yes, I know just what you mean by the biggest barrier being you. Because I think it’s me! 🙂
A beautifully written invitation to embrace the peace we have already been given in Christ! Blessings on your Sabbath, Betsy!
Thank you, June. Blessings to you too.
My biggest hindrance to experiencing God’s peace is worry. I think I’m going along fine and then it suddenly hits me. Keeping my eyes focused on God and His promises is my only hope. Love you, sweet friend!
Me too, Sabra. I can relate to how it hits you suddenly! I’m also trying to keep my eyes focused on God, just like you! 🙂 Blessings.
Great post, Betsy! One of my favourite compliments from people is that they sense my home is a home of peace. I prayed that when people come to my home that they’d sense God’s peace since I was married 18 years ago and I still pray it today. So, when people feel God’s peace in my home, it is such a blessing. I love that you said God’s peace is our choice. It truly is.
Thanks for linking up with Grace and Truth.
What a powerful prayer to pray for your home, Aimee! You encourage me! I often pray AS I DO HOUSEWORK, that my home would bless my family and friends. Kind of turns housecleaning around for me. 🙂 And yes, I want to learn more about choosing peace.