Peace is something that most of us are searching for. Despite knowing Jesus as our Lord, sometimes it can still be hard to find peace. Consider David; he was a man after God's own heart, yet the Psalms reveal a man who was often distraught, terrified, and questioning God.
We have the peace of knowing Jesus loves us, that we have been forgiven, and we are given eternal life through Him; however, we can still find ourselves feeling far from peaceful. Know that this is normal and does not mean you are “less than” for not feeling peaceful all the time.
Worries in this life, like financial concerns, health scares, and family issues, can all cause us to start feeling anxious. At these times, it is important for us to turn to God, but even if we don’t feel our worries subside right away, we need to keep leaning on Him. Being scared, worried, and stressed are all feelings, and they can be really strong. In these times, knowing that we have peace in Christ is hard because it is a fact rather than a feeling.
We might feel afraid, yet we still have the peace of Christ in our hearts. With time, the more you focus on Jesus, you will start truly feeling the peace of Him. This is because what you know will start to align with how you feel. Even though some days you will still be afraid or worried, you can rely on what you know. Jesus brings true peace, and He wants you to hold onto this peace every day.
If you are struggling to have peace today, turn to the Lord and reflect on what He says in His Word. The Book of Psalms is a great place to start.
Here are five psalms to bring you peace:
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1. Psalm 27
Psalm 27 will never cease to bring my heart great comfort. From my first days of being a Christian until now, I have often returned to this psalm. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” As this psalm tells us, the Lord is the stronghold of our lives.
Since the Lord is our stronghold, there is nothing for us to fear. He is our light and our salvation. There is no reason to fear because God is bigger, stronger, and greater than anything in all creation. God is the Creator and all things answer to Him. What is there for us to fear since we know the Lord is our light, salvation, and stronghold?
There is nothing to fear because we know God is always with us (Psalm 23). He will protect us and keep us safe from the evil one. Although there will still be difficult days, we can know that God gives us true peace. Turn to Him when you start feeling afraid or worried and rest in the peace of knowing that He is greater than any problem, issue, or concern.
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2. Psalm 34
A second psalm to bring you peace is Psalm 34. A key passage of this psalm is Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” When I first became a Christian, I would often find myself migrating back to this passage of Scripture. At the time, I was using a Gideon’s Bible, and there was a list of different emotions in the back. Under each of the emotions were Bible verses to help combat these negative feelings.
The emotions I normally looked under were fear, worry, and sadness. Psalm 34 had a way of showing up under most of these emotions, so I would turn back to it many times throughout the day. After a few weeks of turning back to this psalm, I had it memorized and could reflect on it even at times when I didn’t have the Bible in front of me. Psalm 34:4 specifically would bring me peace and dismantle my fears.
Just as God would deliver the psalmist from his fears, I rested in the peace of knowing that He would also deliver me from my fears. Many of us believe that God delivers only select people, such as the “elect,” but in truth, if you are a believer, you are already part of the elect. God has chosen you from the beginning of time, and He loves you (Ephesians 1:4-5). All people are predestined to be saved, yet each person has to choose to independently place faith in the Lord.
God will help you and deliver you because you love Him. Run to Him with all of your fears and trust Him. Even if you might not have every prayer answered right away, know that God is working. He works everything out for your own good (Romans 8:28). Trust Him with the outcome and know that He will bring you relief from all of your fears as you continue to focus on Him.
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3. Psalm 46
Another psalm to bring you peace is Psalm 46. Through this psalm, we are told how God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). We never have to fear what life brings to our doorstep because we know He is our fortress (Psalm 46:7). There will be many things to happen in our lives that will try to derail us, but we can choose to focus on God and His goodness. Although many things will try to make us fall, God will lift us up again.
Psalm 46:5 tells us this beautiful truth, “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” As someone who is always worried, I can rest in the peace of knowing that God will not allow me to fall. He will be my help at every hour of the day, and He is also there for you. We never need to doubt God’s protection nor do we need to doubt His goodness. He will be there for us through every hard time, bringing us peace.
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4. Psalm 91
Psalm 91 is one I find myself returning home to. Psalm 91:14 says, “‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.’” I cannot stress enough how much this passage has brought me great peace. The Lord tells us that since we love Him, He will rescue us and protect us. This is a beautiful truth that can steady all of our hearts.
God never leaves us without help. Even though we might not physically see the protection that God brings, He is still protecting us. There are many things that God has protected us from that we will never know about on this side of heaven. Trust the Lord and know that He will protect you. Don’t be afraid or worried when you are faced with the uncertainties of life. Rest in the peace of giving all of these things over to the Lord.
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5. Psalm 121
Psalm 121:1 says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Think about this for a moment and truly let it sink in. Our help doesn’t come from a made-up god nor does it come from mere men. Rather, our help comes from God, the Maker of heaven and earth.
God is in control of all things, including our lives. No matter what comes our way, we can know that God is still ultimately in control. This is why we can have peace despite difficult situations. We know that the Lord is always for us and never against us. This leads us to know that God can always be trusted. Our hope and help are not found in wavering things—they are found in God, our wonderful Creator.
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Originally published Friday, 03 May 2024.
