How to Maintain Peace of Mind Amid Hardship
Are you longing for peace of mind? But you keep facing one difficult situation after another. Whether it be a medical diagnosis, a relational issue, financial hardship or even the current misery in our world. No matter what the situation, there is hope, my friend. The answer lies in God’s Word. Let’s turn to Philippians chapter 4 to discover how to maintain peace of mind amid hardship.
Present your Requests with Thanksgiving
Verses 6 and 7 instruct us “[not to] worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (CSB).
Go to the Lord with thanksgiving, my friend, and leave everything in His hands. Our omnipotent and omniscient God is in full control. He watches over you, fully aware of all that transpires. And He knows exactly what you need.
What a privilege it is that we can come before Him. Seek His guidance on what to do and how to pray. Then choose to trust our faithful God and His peace will fill your heart and mind. He will sustain you through whatever you are facing.
Think on These Things
But wait there’s more. The next verse, Philippians 4:8, states, “In addition brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable [noble, reputable], whatever is just [right], whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things” (CSB).
After presenting your requests to God, dwell on the things listed above. This helps maintain peace of mind. Friend, write these verses on a note card. Then keep it in your Bible, so that you can refer to it often.
When the weight of your circumstances confronts you, remember Philippians 4:6-8. Then, restate your trust in the Lord to handle the situation and recall His faithfulness in times past.
Otherwise, if we continue to stress over our circumstances, despite praying about them, are we truly trusting God? Probably not. Plus, we become overwhelmed, irritable, depressed or even fearful. This is why Scripture aids us in specifying what to dwell upon. So, if a thought does not align with the descriptions listed in verse 8, refuse to dwell on it and replace it with something that does, such as truth from God’s Word.
In addition, notice that each item listed in verse 8 describes Jesus. Jesus is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent and praiseworthy. Therefore, we can focus on who Jesus is and what He has done as well. What’s more, Isaiah 26:3 states, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (ESV).
Train your Mind to Focus on Such Things
Friend, it is a learning process to train your mind to focus on such things, instead of all the negativity around you. Take one step today by expressing this desire to the Lord.
Besides prayer:
- Partner with the Holy Spirit and heed His warning when you begin to dwell on the negative.
- Consistently spend time reading and studying God’s Word.
- Write down Bible verses on God’s attributes such as His faithfulness and meditate on them. Speak these verses aloud when anxiety enters your mind. Some examples of verses include Hebrews 10:23, Psalm 121, Isaiah 26:3 and Isaiah 41:10.
- Listen to worship music and express your praise to the Lord.
- Take a walk and talk with God.
- Reach out to a friend(s) and ask them to pray for you.
Jesus is the Source of Peace
Lastly, thinking on these things directs our words and actions which ultimately pleases the Lord. In addition, those around us will notice the peace we have despite the circumstances. We pray they will then desire to have such peace which is only found in Jesus.
Therefore, friend, whenever you face hardship, go to the Lord in prayer. Choose to trust Him with your circumstances. Then dwell on who Jesus is and whatever else is morally excellent and praiseworthy. As a result, you will have peace of mind and shine the light of Christ in spite of any hardship.
Friend, Jesus is the source of peace that the world desperately longs for. May they see the peace of Christ in you.
Father, thank You that we can come boldly before you at any time with our requests. Help us to remember to ask with thanksgiving and then dwell on whatever is morally excellent and praiseworthy. We invite Your Spirit to convict us whenever we dwell on the wrong things. Thank you that we can have peace no matter what we face. We choose to trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflective Questions
- What are some good things in my life?
- How has the Lord been faithful to me in the past?
- What would help me dwell on these things?
Additional Scripture References
2 Corinthians 5:7, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (CSB).
Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (ESV).
2 Corinthians 10:5b, “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).
For Further Study
Read how Joshua and Caleb focused on God instead of their circumstances in this post: Why Our Focus is So Vital
Learn more about How to Leave Your Burdens in the Lord’s Hands when you are feeling weighed down by cares and concerns.
Learn How to Find Rest in Our Divided World by maintaining a fear of the Lord.
