Steps to Peace When You Feel Unsettled

Kathy Carlton Willis reminds me of the Energizer Bunny. She accomplishes more in one week than I do in one month! In all her busyness, she's always got a wise and cheerful word of encouragement as she spreads God's truth along her way. However, Kathy is very transparent about her humanness. In this Peace UPGRADE, she reminds us that there are times God allows uneasiness in our lives for a reason—He wants us to find our peace and purpose in Him.

“I’m starting the year feeling uninspired and restless,” says Kathy.

When I (Dawn) read that, honestly, I was shocked. Kathy is one of the most goal-oriented people I know. But knowing her, she didn't stay unsettled for long.

Kathy continues . . .

I live life with intention, and I try not to base my to-do list on what I feel. Productivity can only happen with a plan and with discipline.

But there are times God allows us to feel unsettled because He’s about to help us let go of something and reach ahead to something different.

That’s where I am right now. Even while I wait, God is giving me peace, and I know He will give peace to you as well.

Sorting Out the Essentials

I’ll never forget the year we moved from a 4,100-square-foot historic home to an 800-square-foot rental. As you can imagine, it took a great deal of sorting our belongings into essentials and non-essentials. Learning to prioritize what to keep, what to sell, and what to store helped.

I asked myself these questions.

• Is it necessary?
• Will it go with my new surroundings?
• Do I have room for it?
• Will I miss it if it’s gone?
• Does it have special meaning to me?

These questions also come to my aid when I ask God to help me prioritize my life choices.

Is it necessary? When our choices match up with the direction of God in our lives, the Holy Spirit gives us a satisfied peace.

Will it go with my new surroundings? Our locality dictates how we can best reach others for Christ. There are different cultures and traditions we must learn and adapt to (without changing biblical doctrines, of course).

Do I have room for it? There are many good options, but God doesn’t expect us to have room for each one of them in our lives. He will help us determine how to best use the abilities He has gifted us with for His glory and for the good of others.

Will I miss it if it’s gone? I’m sensing God is leading me to let go of some things in my life to make room for the new. This question helps me sort it out and add the essence of what I might miss into a new option.

Does it have a special meaning to me? We allow so many mundane, ordinary activities to fill our lives that we lose our joy. Will the love, joy, and peace in my life bubble over and splash on others so they can experience how special a life in Christ can be?

Do you have any extra life baggage you need to get rid of?

Letting go will deliver a new parcel of peace your way. We can do that as we seek God’s direction.

Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. (Psalm 119:165 NLT)

There are two great benefits to loving God’s instructions. When we desire to obey His Word, we have all the resources we need for great peace and the ability to not stumble.

There’s never enough reserve in our own selves to work up even a limited version of peace, let alone a God-sized portion of peace. But the good news is that we can always find peace as we find our way back to God.

 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

This is one of my all-time favorite Bible verses on peace in Scripture.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• How do you fix your thoughts on God?
• Where do you tend to let your thoughts be focused instead?
• What does trust have to do with being kept in perfect peace?
• What does fixing your thoughts on God have to do with experiencing perfect peace?

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)

Paul gave the Romans so much rich detail regarding the victory we can have as we determine to grow in trusting God.

There is something special about seeing words such as fill, completely, and overflow. We often study about peace because we do not feel filled to overflowing!

If we’re honest, sometimes, we feel empty or drained.

Is there an area in your life in which you are struggling to trust in God for your peace?

Kathy Carlton Willis is God’s Grin Gal. She writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. Over a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she has several books in her Grin Gal brand. Today’s Upgrade with Dawn is inspired by Kathy’s latest Bible study, The Grin Gal’s Guide to Peace. Consider using one of Kathy’s books for your next small group or study. More information at www.kathycarltonwillis.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash.

Hunting Down Peace

Kathy Carlton Willis is simply a dynamo! She accomplishes more in one day than I do in a week. She may be challenged, but she knows where to go for peace. In this Peace UPGRADE, she explains how to hunt down peace when stresses and troubles come.

“As Christians," Kathy says, "we have a pretty good idea about the benefits of peace, but it’s time to put it into action."

I (Dawn) like what Kathy says about activating peace—it goes beyond a feeling. We need to pursue peace—to track it down!

Kathy continues . . .

The Bible shows us how peace can change us.

What would happen if we activated peace to make a difference in our own lives and in the world around us? I don’t think I could ever get enough of this kind of peace.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27 NLT).

When was the last time you looked at peace as a gift from Jesus? It’s a peace that soothes both the mind and the heart—He knows right where we need it!

Jesus lived on earth long enough to know that the world apart from Him does not offer this kind of peace. It’s like an exclusive bonus when we’re in a growing relationship with Him.

This gift will help us not be troubled or afraid. When we find ourselves feeling worried or fearful, we know what we have to do.

We need to hunt down peace!

And we know where to find it. So, it’s just a matter of receiving that gift He has lovingly prepared for us.

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).

Rather than waiting for peace to find you, I challenge you to hunt down peace and make it a living, breathing part of your life.

Here are some ways to do that, from Philippians 4:6–7.

1. Don’t worry about anything.

Easier said than done, but if you read the rest of this passage, it will tell you how it’s done.

2. Pray about everything.

If you haven’t prayed about it, do. And if you have prayed about it, pray some more. And if you have covered this thing you worry about in prayer, then pray for everything else.

This verse says we are to pray about everything.

3. Tell God what you need.

He knows it, but it helps you when you talk about it with Him.

When we tell God what we need, we put ourselves in a state of reliance, dependent on Him for the outcome.

4. Thank God for all he has done.

Take time in your prayer to do more than simply telling Him your needs.

Show gratitude for all the answered prayers and provisions you’ve previously received. Rehearse the blessings.

It blesses God when we appreciate what He has done for us. And it puts us in a better frame of mind.

5. Experience blow-your-mind peace when you do these things.

This peace doesn’t make sense, and we can’t humanly try to understand it or recreate it without God.

6. Live for Christ, and His peace will guard your heart and mind.

This peace is a gift, yes, but it will stay active as we devote every breath, every act, every choice to His service.

When we do that, His peace guards our hearts and minds. It guards against the things that attempt to destroy our peace, as well as Satan’s tactics to get us to not live for God.

Once we incorporate the principles of Philippians 4 into our lives, we’re ready to see peace permeate every part of our lives.

Here are some examples of action steps to experience more peace.

Action Steps to Peace

1. Seek healthful peace.

When we lack peace of mind, it affects our health.

God’s peace will give us a calm assurance, delivering rest to body, soul, and spirit.

When His peace envelops us, it becomes like a bulletproof vest.

Stress and worries don’t penetrate our peace.

2. Enjoy the peace of healthy relationships.

When you not only take on the traits of a peace-filled Christ-follower, but also become a peacemaker with others, you will find relationships grow and strengthen.

Peace helps you learn how to respond rather than react.

• Responding is acting based on pre-determined principles (for Christians, biblical foundations).
• Reacting is acting before thinking, based on how the circumstance makes you feel.

A peace-focused believer notices when tension is building in a situation and addresses potential conflicts before they harm relationships.

3. Embrace hope even in seemingly hopeless situations.

As you cling to hope, a stronger peace surfaces.

Hope and peace are natural heartmates. One influences the other. God’s peace feeds your hope, and hoping in God matures your peace.

Hope is an expectation for better things ahead. When you rest in that assurance, peace is your pillow.

4. Seek contentment in your current dissatisfaction.

You will never know God’s success if your primary focus pushes you to acquire more material belongings and accomplishments. God didn’t design us for that kind of perceived success.

But His peace will help you be content, no matter the conditions in your life.

Think of the circumstances your friends and loved ones are facing. How can you bring more peace to their lives to help alleviate their burdens?

Kathy Carlton Willis is God’s Grin Gal. She writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. Over a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she has several books in her Grin Gal brand. Today’s Upgrade with Dawn is inspired by Kathy’s latest Bible study, The Grin Gal’s Guide to Peace. Consider using one of Kathy’s books for your next small group or study. More information at www.kathycarltonwillis.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Joe Pohle at Unsplash.

7 Steps—Replace Fretting with Peace

Joanie Shawhan, a cancer survivor and registered nurse, understands how anxiety can take charge and make us lose peace. In this Peace UPGRADE, she focuses on a special psalm that gives solid counsel for replacing fretting and returning to a place of peace in the Lord."Once again, a friend of mine chided me for fretting as I raged about the pervasive evil I saw in the world today," Joanie said. “This is not your circus. These are not your monkeys.”

Oh, how I (Dawn) understand that! How often I have taken on issues and burdens the Lord never intended me to carry. I'm reminded of the old hymn that says, "Oh, what peace we often forfeit..." Joanie explains how we can stop forfeiting our peace.

Joanie continues . . .

All of these circumstances in the world were beyond my control and out of the realm of my influence. Where was the God of Justice?

I had become stuck in a rut of fretting.

A rut rooted in the fear of the future that I had dug through anxiety and worry.

Living in Wisconsin, I’m familiar with ruts. Our wheels spin on snowy roads and create furrows that refuse to disappear until the snow melts.

Ruts become dangerous obstacles that can easily throw us off course.

My pattern of fretting had derailed me. It distracted me from God’s purpose and robbed me of peace. I listened to the voices of the world yammering in my ears and forgot to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

But God reminded me: Do not fret—it leads only to evil (Psalm 37:8 NIV).

I needed a course correction.

How could I avoid the rut of fretting and restore peace?

God offered me a roadmap to peace.

Seven principles from Psalm 37

1. Do Not Fret (v. 1).

According to Scripture, fretting leads only to evil. If I want to follow Jesus and turn away from evil, I need to steer clear of the habitual patterns of agitation and anger that deepen the rut of fretting.

Jesus has called me to walk in righteousness and make right choices through faith in Him.

And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever (Isaiah 32:17 NLT).

2. Trust in the Lord (v. 3).

God is faithful and trustworthy even when I don’t understand His plan. My fears and anxiety do not change who He is. They only rob me of my ability to see Him as He is—my loving Father who is constant in His care for me.

Sometimes trust is a choice.

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3 NLT).

3. Do Good (v. 3).

In spite of the evil churning around me, God’s Word tells me to never get tired of doing good (Galatians 6:9-10 NLT).

Even in the face of adversity, I’m called to love and serve others in humility.

He also commands me to pray for my enemies and those who may do me harm.

4. Delight in the Lord (v. 4).

To delight in the Lord, I must focus on who God is, on His power and majesty. When my eyes are turned toward the Lord, I can’t focus on myself, my circumstances, and those situations that rob my peace.

Delighting in the Lord comes with a promise.

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him (Psalm 37:23 NIV).

5. Commit Your Way to the Lord (v. 5).

God is the one who will order my steps. My days are in His hands.

Even when the evil is personal or I feel betrayed, God is the one who will vindicate me.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).

6. Be Still Before the Lord (v. 7).

Sometimes I’m so busy grumbling and complaining that I neglect to listen. I’ve discovered that when I’m quiet and still, I’m more apt to hear the voice of the Lord.

His voice and His presence will restore my peace by reminding me of who He is.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10 NIV).

7. Wait Patiently for Him (v. 7)

Patience is not my virtue. I want to rush God, especially when he takes longer to answer my prayers than I would like.

But I need to remember God is not finished yet.

For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:18b NIV).

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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 (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

By following God’s words of wisdom, I can avoid the dangerous rut of fretting.

What ruts of fretting rob your peace?

Joanie Shawhan shares true-life stories, offering her reader an eyewitness view of the action. Her Selah Awards Finalist book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, reflects the value of “Your story plus my story become our stories.” An ovarian cancer survivor and registered nurse, Joanie speaks to medical students in the Survivors Teaching Students program. She co-founded an ovarian cancer social group: The Fried Eggs—Sunny-Side Up. Publishing credits include: Guideposts Divine Interventions, Snapshots of Hope & Heart, Wit, Whimsy & Wisdom, Life Repurposed, and We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished. Follow Joanie at www.joanieshawhan.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Anne Nygård at Unsplash.

Help for a Holiday Inversion

I always love the way Julie Sanders calls us to serenity rather than struggle, and peace rather than pressure. In this Christmas UPGRADE, Julie calls us to a more "heavenly" perspective.

"If it’s the 'most wonderful time of the year,'" Julie says, "why do I feel the reverse? How do I get out from under the pressure?"

This is a different holiday season for me (Dawn) this year because of illness—but oh, how I remember my typical stressful holidays in years past.

The Lord is teaching me better priorities, but I want to learn from Julie's wisdom too.

Julie continues . . .

Northern regions like my hometown often experience a winter weather inversion. In a reversal of what’s normal, the air closest to earth weighs down air above. The resulting soup-like atmosphere becomes thick with dust, smoke, and pollutants.

Though it seems like it should rain, conditions prevent cleansing relief. Underneath the cloud cap, air Temperature Inversion over Almaty, Kazakhstanpressure builds and may even become turbulent. Stagnation warnings keep people inside, making them crave fresh air. Confusion sets in as heavy haze descends over the layer where life is lived, pushing out crisp, clear air.  

Sandwiched between days of giving thanks and celebrating Christ’s coming, the holiday season happens in the layer of life-soup.

We may be overcome by “too many things,” even good things.

Surrounded by information, requests, needs, and issues in our environment, a layer of oppression may move in and overhang our joy. Movies to magazines, cards to choirs, they tell us it’s normal to be full of joy. But many of us feel weighed down.

Like a reversal of weather, conditions collide and press in, creating confusion and turbulence.

It may feel FAR from wonderful.

When we live and breathe the earthly, it gets heavy.

Compromised visibility makes it hard to see life clearly. Pressure builds into holiday heaviness and lost hope.

If you can’t shake the feeling it shouldn’t be this way, let the strong wind of the life-giving Holy Spirit blow away the "life-soup" choking out joy.

The Bible describes the Holy Spirit as a wind as early as Genesis 1:2. Like wind is unseen but with powerful impact, so the Holy Spirit is a powerful, invisible force not controlled by people, but impacting people. The same Greek word describes the wind and the Spirit.

“The wind (pneuma) blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit (pneuma)” (John 3:8).

Between days to give thanks and give gifts, it’s easy to give out. We want to breathe in the heavenly, but we’re under the hold of what’s here.

The Holy Spirit can help turn our eyes toward heaven in the holidays.

In 1952, London Smog was so “lethal” that thousands died. In a five-day weather inversion, so many died that the city ran out of flowers and coffins. It wasn’t until a strong wind pushed out the stagnation that the city could breathe again.

If we settle in to a life layer where God’s peace is replaced by pressure, we risk long-term impact.

• Staying in stagnate air makes us sick.
• Staying in a stagnate state of heart and mind makes us sick.

A holiday season lived in "life-soup" produces poor visibility, pressure and fatigue. Let the strong wind of the Holy Spirit blow in and blow away the heaviness.

Make space for the heavenly.

Let God’s Spirit lift your earthly focus and refresh you with the life you’re meant to know during the “most wonderful time of the year”—and all year.

How would your holiday to-do list look different if you stopped and asked the Holy Spirit to shape it with a heavenly perspective?

Julie Sanders loves lifting women who lead. She’s the author of The ABCs of Praying for Students and Expectant, a devotional for new and expectant moms. Julie finds joy in helping moms find purpose and peace on their motherhood journeys. She writes from her online base at juliesanders.org.

Meme graphic adapted—"Christmas Tree Images"—courtesy of Angelina Jollivet at Unsplash.com.

Weather Inversion photo - Igors Jefimovs for Wikipedia.

Joy, the Key to Peace

Pam Farrel knows more about joy because she's made it a focused choice in her life. In this Attitude UPGRADE, she encourages us to discover more peace as we pursue biblical joy.

"We live in a world where people are struggling with stress and discouragement," Pam says. "In a recent, Fox News poll, 65% say they are stressed daily and 52% of Americans say they are worried daily."

I (Dawn) see this stress and discouragment all the time. There is little peace in our world. But Pam says joy is the key to peace!

Pam continues . . . 

The good news is, researchers who wrote for Time magazine’s The Science of Happiness say that happiness is made of from 50% DNA, 10%Circumstances, and 40% CHOICES we make.

“We make our choices and our choices make us!” That's a mantra that those in my world have heard my husband, Bill, and I say for several decades.

During one particularly challenging and strenuous circumstance in my life when EVERYTHING seemed to be unraveling, my friends kindly reached out and inquired about my wellbeing.

I didn’t know how to answer them. The answer was too personal, too long and too depressing, so I prayed and asked God, "How do I answer?”

The Holy spirit impressed a question on my heart, “Pam, what kind of person do you want to be?”

“Lord I want to be the kind of person that can choose joy no matter what life sends my way. Your Word in Neh. 8:10 says “The joy of the Lord is my strength” and this family needs strength, so I choose You, Jesus, I choose joy!”

From that point on, when people ask, “How are you doing?” my answer has been, “Choosing joy!”       

Yes, our life is the sum of our choices and God’s loving sovereignty.     

In Discovering Joy in Philippians: A Creative Bible Study Experience, I share a word study where I add the synonyms to help define the key words in this verse with a vital key choice:

The choice to rejoice! 

REJOICE (lean in and delight in God’s grace) at ALL times, I repeat, REJOICE (choose to be glad and joyful because of ALL God gives us!) (Philippians 4:4).

God graciously gives the “how to” rejoice in Phil 4:6-9—

"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."

God doesn’t want us to be anxious (worried and loaded down with cares). The solution He provides can be illustrated as a word picture of wrapping a gift into a gift bag:  

Think of your cares and anxieties (your “supplication”) that you desire God to answer, as the gift; wrap them in the tissue paper of prayer, which Strong’s concordance explains is “to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes for His wishes....”

Drop your cares in the gift bag of thanksgiving, gratefully thanking God by faith for what He will deliver as an answer for your eternal good and His Eternal Glory.

As we ask, request and petition God, the confidence comes in believing you are giving this “gift” to the ONLY ONE who has the REAL POWER to answer—The Almighty GOD!   

And as we make this transaction, God gives us a gift back—peace (harmony, tranquility and sense of security) that is beyond comprehension! And that IS a great reason to REJOICE!

TRY THIS EXERCISE to apply this illustration to your life today:

• Imagine your greatest stress is placed into your right hand, wrap your fingers around this anxiety.
• Now lift it heavenward; open your fingers and picture presenting it at the foot of the throne of heaven.
• Leave your care there, but keep your hand open.
• Now, think of a name of God that would be best to hang your heart on to find hope, joy and peace. If you struggle to pick which trait, choose the name or trait of God that would be opposite of your stress. For example, if you care is your anxiety, trade it for the peace of God.
• Follow up by looking up verses about God being peace and giving peace.
• Then string your favorite verses together, put your name in the series and personalize God’s Word to your life.

Remember: Joy is the Key to Peace.

How can you apply this scripture to your life today? "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).

Pam Farrel is an international speaker, relationship expert, and author of 48 books including her newest, Discovering Joy in Philippians: A Creative Bible Study Experience. She and her husband, Bill, co-direct Love-Wise ministries.

Graphic of key, courtesy of Pixabay.