Finding Peace in His Presence

Have you ever thought you were supposed to do something, but when you went to do it, you were so uncomfortable that you were filled with a sense of dread?

There was something I was going to do a few weeks ago, which I ended up not doing. However, the decision-making process was difficult. There were a lot of restless nights, tears, angst, and confusion about what to do. Sometimes what seems like the most straightforward decisions are the hardest ones to make and follow through on.

Have you ever found yourself desperate for an answer to prayer?

Searching for Answers

I found myself sitting in a parking lot, praying, and crying my eyes out because I didn’t know what to do. I needed an answer. My stomach was in knots, and I felt sick. It had come to a pivotal point, and a decision had to be made that would involve a costly investment.

Have you ever found yourself desperate for an answer to prayer? Sheila has… Click To Tweet

It was a decision that I couldn’t take lightly. I poured my heart out to God, wondering if I was doing the right thing. Was it me fighting against myself or the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart?

I had talked it over with Hubs the night before, and he told me whatever decision I ended up making would be okay with him and our budget. You’d think that would have given me peace, but I didn’t find any satisfaction with that answer either. I needed a solid solution. I needed an answer from God.

Finding Peace in His Presence

It was an intense morning until God whispered to my heart, “Sheila, you know who I Am!” At that moment, an overwhelming sense of peace flooded my soul. God brought His Word to my mind and reminded me that God is my peace that surpasses all understanding.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Fear is the Opposite of Peace

The “don’t worry“ part is hard, even when you are praying to God. Maybe we’re afraid He won’t hear us, or perhaps we’re worried we won’t hear Him when He answers.

Fear is a poisonous venom.

It can provoke our emotions to go wild. Fear will permeate your body until it has made you weak, unstable and you can’t function on your own. But fear also reminds you of your need for God when you realize your own frailty of reason.

Listening to God’s still small voice can be hard to do because sometimes we allow our voice to become louder than His voice. This is precisely what happened in this situation. Has anyone else fallen in that trap?  I had allowed my wants and desires to direct my path to a place God never intended me to be.

God was Calling Me Back To Him

It isn’t that what I wanted to do was bad at all. It just wasn’t God’s timing. It doesn’t matter what it is when we are a child of God, and out of His will, we can expect pushback from Him.

My pushback was reminding me that as His sheep I know my Shepherd’s voice. God’s voice is not one of dread. His voice, although it can be stern, is of love, protection, and wisdom. Again, another of His promises comes to the surface of my heart.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me^. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

John 10:27-29  (NLT)

God knows what is best for me. I don’t have to understand why the answer was “No” to trust Him. All I need to do is believe that God’s plan and purpose are far better than my plan.

When We Listen, God Speaks

Every day we are faced with decisions. Some are easy. Others are hard and even life-changing. But, when we stop, pray and listen we can rest assured that God will speak.

God’s answer may not have been what I wanted to hear, and He may not have spoken in the way I wanted Him to. Sometimes that’s hard to accept, but knowing that God is working all things together for OUR good is the greatest blessing of all.

The answer may not be “No” forever, but I do know the answer is “No” for now. I can’t see in the future, and worrying about it won’t change the circumstances, but I know that God always desires to give me His best. 

Looking back, I can see the whole process was part of God’s perfect plan. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. But it is always easier to look back because none of us can predict the future. However, I should have known when I didn’t have peace that God was telling me to take a closer look at the situation.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were desperate for peace and an answer to prayer? I can certainly sympathize with you! How did you handle it? 

4 Keys to Finding Peace

When looking for God’s peace, there are four things I have learned God requires me to do:

1. Don’t Worry: Yes, don’t worry but trust.
2. Pray About Everything: No matter how big or small the request, God wants to hear it all.
3. Tell God What You Need: Be specific! It isn’t that God doesn’t know what you need, but He wants His children to come to him and ask.
4.  Thank God for everything: This means even the things God doesn’t give to you for His reasons.

When we do these four things, God’s Word also promises His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus. His peace is our protection against this world and anything the enemy throws at us. There will be days that you will struggle to find His peace, but always remember, before Jesus left this earth, He gave us His peace as a gift because He knew we would need it.

As you begin this new year, remember God’s peace isn’t like the world’s peace. It is so much better!

I love how the Passion Translation says John 14:27:

“I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!

John 14:27 The Passion Translation (TPT)

My prayer is that in this new year, when we are struggling for an answer to prayer, Jesus would remind us of the gift He left for each of us; the gift of perfect peace in troubled times.

Join the Conversation

Do you have any tips for finding peace? Have you ever found it difficult? We’d love to hear from you. Join the conversation in the comments below.

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