Finding Peace During Unrest
How do we find peace during unrest? How can we stay grounded if we don’t know what our future looks like?
Uncertainty can be daunting. Will this get better? How long will this last? That’s why I want to share tips on how to have peace during unrest.
Get close to God.
Even when the future is uncertain, we still have confidence in God’s plan. No matter how much we think or worry about the future, we can’t control everything around us. The good news is that God cares about you! He cares for you so much that He sent His Son to die for your sins (John 3:16). He’s going to see you through these uncertain times.
When you realize God is your source, there is hope. He’s not leaving you. He will see you through this. But you have to trust Him and seek His plan.
So how can you discern God’s plan?
- Spend time in His presence. Turn on some worship music and sing His praises. It will shift your mood!
- Get in the Word of God. Even if it’s just a few verses each morning, it will make a difference. Instead of reaching for the remote and watching the news or Netflix, spend some time reading your Bible. You’ll be more refreshed and hopeful than if you had flipped on the TV.
- Meditate on Scripture. Memorize a couple of Bible verses and recite them to yourself when your mind begins to wander and worry. Reminding yourself of what God says will give you peace.
- Ask. This may seem obvious, but if you are wondering what God is leading you to, ask Him. He most likely won’t give you the whole plan, but He will lead you to what you need to know for the time being. It takes faith to step out and follow God, but we have confidence that He will lead us throughout!
Surround yourself with encouragement.
Have you ever heard a sad song and then felt sad? Or felt ready for a good workout after listening to some upbeat music?
What we surround ourselves with makes an emotional impact! It’s no wonder that if you spend hours every day watching the news and reading about what’s going on in the world that you will be discouraged and fearful. The media is always sharing extremes. It’s important to be informed and to stay in tune with what is happening around you, but there’s no reason to hear the same headlines every hour.
Not only is what we listen to important, but also who we listen to is important.
Are your friends constantly worried about the future? Are they always talking about the negativity in the world? We become like what we surround ourselves with. If everyone you are with is negative, there’s a good chance you’ll start having a pattern of negative thinking too.
Be careful of who you allow to have influence in your life!
Know who holds your future.
Sometimes nothing seems to be going right. Don’t let the discouragement of today hold you back from what God has for you tomorrow! Your heavenly Father cares for you more than you can ever imagine. He won’t leave you!
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Worrying won’t solve your problems! Give your worry to God. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV), “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Notice how it says ALL. God wants to take ALL of your anxiety and worries. We can exchange our anxiety about what the future holds for His peace!
You can have peace during unrest and uncertainty.
If you need encouragement, stand on these Bible verses:
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
—1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
