I could use some peace

by Greg Fowler

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You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you (Isaiah 26:3).

Read Isaiah 26:1–9

I can’t tell you how often I pray to God, ‘Lord, give me some peace!’ In our modern world, peace can feel like a distant rumour. Our minds are filled with a cacophony of sounds constantly: the ping of notifications, the relentless news cycle, the hum of daily anxieties and the internal to-do lists that never seem to end.

We get pulled in a dozen different directions, our thoughts fragmented by worry about the future, regret over the past and overwhelm in the present. I feel exhausted. This mental chaos is the opposite of peace, leaving us feeling drained, insecure and perpetually on edge. Haven’t we all felt that way?

Yet, into this storm of our thoughts, God speaks a profound and steadying promise through the prophet Isaiah: ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you’ (Isaiah 26:3).

It is not a fragile, circumstantial peace that the world offers. It is perfect peace – a deep, holistic sense of wellbeing and wholeness, shalom. The key is not in emptying our minds, but in fixing them. A steadfast mind is intentionally focused, anchored and leaning on the grace of God and the action of his Spirit. My lack of peace often comes from the belief that I am on my own. God’s response is trust in his presence.

We can always be more steadfast in our trust in God. When anxiety whispers, we can choose to trust in his sovereignty. When fear shouts, we can choose to recall his faithfulness. When confusion swirls, we can choose to meditate on his truth. When we are out of energy, we can rest in his grace.

Lord Jesus, my mind is not steadfast. I need your empowering grace. I need to hear your words that I am well because of what you have done. Tell me again, Lord. Send your Spirit, so I can trust in you more and receive your peace. Amen.

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