In the times we live in, many of us feel like things are looking hopeless. Whether dealing with health issues, financial problems, family troubles and other worries, it may feel like there is very little hope and even less peace. Fortunately, God’s word is bursting with promises for peace that is offered to His children. If you find yourself desperate for peace and hope, begin praying some of these verses over yourself and your loved ones.
John 16:33 (ESV)
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus spoke these promises to his followers shortly before his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. There is a lot to unpack in this relatively short verse. First of all, notice that Jesus said that we “will have tribulation.” Children of God are not exempt from trials, tribulations and the problems of everyday life. However, we have been given a blessed promise. Jesus didn’t leave His disciples with the promise of tribulations. Instead, He encouraged them, and in turn encouraged us, to “take heart” because He has already overcome the world.
Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
The prophet Isaiah’s ministry was during an incredibly dark time in the history of the nation of Israel. Take note that Isaiah said God keeps those whose minds are focused on Him in “perfect peace.” Your life may seem like it is far from a place of perfect peace, but the promises of God are still true. The key to unlocking this level of perfect peace in your life is to have your mind stayed or focused on God and His promises to you. When our trust is placed in God, our perspective shifts from our problems to our Provider.
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, more than 40 million Americans ages 18 and older suffer from anxiety, making it the most common mental disorder in the nation. The idea of being able to cast all of those anxieties away may seem comforting or unrealistic to you, but that is offer that God extends in this verse. Having the ability to hand all of your anxieties to God doesn’t mean that there won’t be times when you aren’t anxious. Instead, God promises to take on all of your anxieties because He cares about every detail of your life.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
This letter from Paul to the Philippian church is packed full of promises that God offered to them and continues to extend to you. Paul, who endured shipwrecks, imprisonments, being stoned, being imprisoned and more encouraged this body of believers to not be anxious about anything. You may be so accustomed to being anxious that the idea of living without it seems like a foreign concept, but Paul offers the recipe for overcoming anxiety and finding peace. Take everything that causes you to be anxious to God by prayer and supplication and enter into a time of thanksgiving because of His faithfulness.
Colossians 3:15 (ESV)
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Society encourages you to “follow your heart” but if your heart is full of fear and anxiety, that can be a terrifying proposition. However, when you allow the peace of Jesus Christ to be the ruler of your heart, you begin to experience the promises of God in the face of the adversity that has robbed you of that peace. There is nothing here that says you won’t have to face things that induce anxiety, but there is a promise that your heart can be under new leadership: the peace of Christ.
John 14:27 (ESV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
The peace of God defies all human logic. It was the piece of God that allowed the Shummanite woman to tell Elisha that everything was well even though she had just lost her only son (2 Kings 4:8-37). Jesus told His disciples that He was not offering them the kind of peace that the world provides, but He was imparting His peace to them. Worldly peace is temporary and is largely contingent on circumstances. However, the peace that Christ offers His people is eternal and hinges on the fact that He is the Lord over our lives.
Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul acknowledges that he doesn’t expect people to understand the peace of God. In fact, he said that God’s peace defies human logic and surpasses our understanding. But not only does he encourage us to pursue that peace, but he makes promises about what it will do. God’s peace guards our minds and our hearts. When trouble arises in your life, allow God’s peace to provide a guard over your heart and mind even if you don’t understand how that’s possible.
Psalm 4:8 (ESV)
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
While there is some debate about who penned Psalm 4, the promises that God offered to its author is equally available to you. Some experts say that 50% of people diagnosed with anxiety report having problems with sleep. If you are in that number, consider praying these verses every night before you go to sleep and allow God to provide your rest.
There are hundreds of Bible verses that pertain to peace, so we have clearly barely scratched the surface regarding God’s promises to His people regarding their peace of mind.