Finding Peace in Turbulent Times
“Peace does not dwell in outward things but within the soul.”
Does it seem like we are surrounded by chaos lately? The world is groaning and peace feels elusive. You’d have to be living under a rock not to see it. There is instability on so many fronts that it’s hard to keep up on current events.
Much of what is presented in the news these days is described as “unprecedented,” and yet in the grand scheme of history, as Solomon so aptly stated, there really is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecc 1:9).
Nevertheless, living through turbulent times isn’t easy. I’ve seen an abundance of social media posts sharing creative forms of escapism, strategies for controlling chaos, and varied methods of finding comfort. But instead of looking outward in search of peace and comfort, we would do well to look inward. As believers, everything we need has been placed within us.
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
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Can you imagine having lived as an Israelite under Pharaoh’s rule? Or as a Christian under the persecution of the Roman Empire? Or more recently as an African slave in the Antebellum South or a Jew in Nazi Germany? I often wonder how people live through such horrors.
This world has never been an easy place to live. We humans have a remarkable affinity for cruelty and depravity. And if that were the end of the story, I would honestly be asking, “What’s the point? Why are we even here?”
But there is a much better story unfolding before us—and I will go so far as to say within us. We are never left to face this world alone. The God of the Universe, in his infinite goodness, chose to dwell with us. Crazy, right? But it doesn’t stop there. He actually came to make his home in each human heart, if we will allow him. Even when we are confused and frightened, God is near—as I’ve heard it described, he is closer than our own skin.
But through the din of chaos, he can be hard to hear, and this can be frustrating. Even so, he never leaves us. These moments are an opportunity to go deeper, seeking his steady presence within. His constant, in-dwelling love is more than a promise, it is a present reality. Jesus guarantees this, and the Holy Spirit seals the deal.
As someone who has battled fear and anxiety, I am intimately familiar with the myriad of ways the words of others, our personal circumstances, the ways of the world, and our own internal thought life can derail our peace. Regardless, I do not think it is trite to say his peace is like a river that rises up within. When trials come and stress threatens to overwhelm, that river is a source of spiritual refreshment that doesn’t run dry.
If you find yourself struggling to experience peace today, start by asking God to fill you with the living water of his love. He gives generously to his children and wants them to experience his rest. It is through this supernatural rest that we are transformed into his likeness, becoming a vessel for that living water and a beacon of light in our dark world.
Beloved, his plans for you are good. The world will continue to have its ups and downs. As Jesus said, there will be “wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.” (Matthew 24:6) God doesn’t change and neither does his love for you.
Take some time today to rest in his love. Here’s a song to start you on that journey:
‘Sometimes healing comes by waving the white flag of surrender when everyone else is telling you to stay in the fight.’
