by Carey Scott<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Dove-300x205.jpg\")
Our lives are a mess. We have so much going on all the time that we seldom take a pause to reflect upon our lives and determine if we are capable of having peace in our souls. \u00a0All the inventions that were supposed to make our lives easier have really only given us more time to question why we can not have peace with all the time we have. \u00a0We take the extra time and fit other things in their place.<\/p>\n
Why is it we can not just put things on pause and take it easy? \u00a0Maybe people go on vacations to relax, but most of the time, they come home exhausted and ready to go back to work so they can relax. \u00a0Does that sound familiar?\u00a0 It should be because we are all guilty of depriving ourselves of peace of mind. \u00a0It is as if we are purposefully sabotaging our happiness to feel what we think the world expects of us.<\/p>\n
The thought that we can have peace of mind has no place in our human thinking. Or does it?\u00a0 While we will deny ourselves such peace, it is also a dream that many of us have. \u00a0We all dream of being in a place where we are comforted and calm. \u00a0We would like to be in a place where things do not matter as much as we really think they do.\u00a0 It is a place where we can just unplug life and sit and listen to the birds and the rustling of the trees. \u00a0It is a place of quiet solitude that we seek.\u00a0 It is a place where many of the cares of this world are just put on the back burner and hopefully forgotten.<\/p>\n
Many people have tried various ways to accomplish this quest of having peace of mind.\u00a0 Some have tried meditation, yoga, drugs, or other methods to find peace. \u00a0Some people pay huge sums of money to have peace and quiet. \u00a0True peace of mind can only exist if we are at peace with ourselves and at peace with God.<\/p>\n
Peace with ourselves takes place when we lower our expectations and can learn to live with less. \u00a0Contentment takes place when we are not bothered about how much something costs, or how valuable it is. \u00a0The expression that I would rather have a closet in heaven than a mansion in hell is the point. \u00a0Things do not always go our way, and we get frustrated and lash out at people that we should not be lashing out at. \u00a0Maybe it is the color of clothing they are wearing or the portion size of the meal that bugs us. \u00a0Let’s face it; we get peeved at the most insignificant things at times.\u00a0 We do not like it when the people around us are continually complaining, but we have no problem complaining about any and everything.<\/p>\n
Peace with God can only occur when we do things His way. \u00a0That may not sound fair, but that is the way God designed peace. \u00a0God promises to bless those who love Him and keep His commandments.\u00a0 God promises us peace that will calm our souls, but it is conditional upon our faithfulness. \u00a0No one can have peace with God based on their emotional feelings. \u00a0The only people who have peace with God are His followers. \u00a0His followers demonstrate their faith by doing what God commanded of all men.<\/p>\n
Peace of mind comes when we stop thinking only of ourselves. \u00a0We get all wrapped up in what others are doing for us or what we are getting ourselves involved in, and the focus is always on ourselves. \u00a0When we do that, we never have peace of mind.\u00a0 But when we do for others and treat others well, we are doing what God wants us to do, and we can have peace in our souls because God looks favorably upon those who do good unto others.<\/p>\n
Peace of mind comes when we accept our condition and can live with it. \u00a0We may not drive a luxury vehicle, but if what we have gets us there, that is what should matter. \u00a0We may not afford fancy food, but if we eat and fill our bellies, we are doing well. \u00a0The apostle Paul spoke about contentment.\u00a0 He said that he learned to get along in poverty and prosperity (Philippians 4:12). \u00a0Can you say that?<\/p>\n
Only God can give you true peace of mind (Philippians 4:7). \u00a0This happens when you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and learn to be obedient in all things that God commands us to do. \u00a0The start of this obedience is to accept the fact that Jesus Christ died upon the cross for your sins (Acts 8:37). \u00a0Recognizing your sins have separated you from God (Isaiah 59:2), you must repent of your sins (Acts 2:38) and determine to not sin anymore (I John 2:1). \u00a0You should also confess before others (Matthew 10:32) your faith in Christ, and your allegiance to Him. \u00a0Then you are ready for baptism which washes away your sins (Acts 22:16). \u00a0Now that you have become a Christian, your next command is to grow and mature yourself to be a faithful child of God in your whole life from now on (II Peter 3:18; Revelation 2:10).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Carey Scott Our lives are a mess. We have so much going on all the time that we seldom take a pause to reflect upon our lives and determine if we are capable of having peace in our souls. \u00a0All the inventions that were supposed to make our lives easier have really only given…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[454],"class_list":["post-58625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-peace"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":85255,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/minds-stayed\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":0},"title":"Minds “Stayed”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton We want the peace of God, but the promise is for him \"whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts You\" (Isaiah 26:3). When peace is missing, we have to check two things: Is your mind \"stayed\" on God? and Are you trusting God? When\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55365,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/blessed-are-the-peacemakers\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":1},"title":"Blessed Are the Peacemakers","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Adapted from a lesson by Dorris B. Billingsley published in\u00a0The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 6, April 1952. Jesus began His great Sermon on the Mount by relating a number of characteristics that would be possessed by those who would be ready for His kingdom which was soon to come. He\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93912,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/harvesting-the-fruit-of-his-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":2},"title":"Harvesting the Fruit of His Spirit","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Randall Caselman When Jesus genuinely, truly comes into our lives, things change. Opening our hearts to His presence means we'll never be the same. Go with me to a well outside the city of Sychar. Jesus, tired from the journey, sat down by the well. A Samaritan woman came.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":89128,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/make-it-your-ambition\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":3},"title":"Make It Your Ambition","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson Does the expression \"the quiet life\" strike you as appealing or dull? Paul urges Christians \"to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands\" (I Thessalonians 4:11 NASB).\u00a0Addressing Christians who have too much time on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51537,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-lord-bless-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":4},"title":"The Lord Bless You","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 30, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Numbers 6:22-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It takes up only 32 words in English, only 15 words in the original Hebrew; yet, the blessing God instructed the priests to use is packed with rich meaning in a few words. II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Lord bless you and keep you \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A desire\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58630,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/peace-with-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":58625,"position":5},"title":"Peace with God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Thurman via\u00a0Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 48, Nov. 28, 2008. Do you ever feel that God is mad at you? You know, those times you have messed up and don't think God could love someone like you? Do you ever have moments of doubting that you are a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58625\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}