Trading Anxiety For Peace: Living Fully in God’s Presence

What does peace look like to you? The older I get, the more I crave peace in my life. I want slow, simple days filled with iced coffee, the people I love, and beautiful views of nature. In my mind, that is the epitome of a peaceful moment.

However, when real life hits, when our schedule gets chaotic, when my kids are acting out, when conflict arises, and when situations of uncertainty creep in, that picture in my head of “peace” drifts further and further away.

This tells me that I’m seeking a false sense of “peace.” As calming as a picturesque moment in nature with the sunshine on my skin and wind blowing through my hair may seem, it doesn’t represent heart-deep peace. That kind of peace is temporary and fleeting; it doesn’t cast out fear or withstand attacks from the devil.

True peace shouldn’t be contingent on our circumstances or surroundings. So, how do we achieve genuine peace that comes from God alone amid the daily stressors of life that fuel our anxiety?

Create a Habit of Gratitude

One practical way we can take our minds off our anxieties is to shift our focus to gratitude instead. The best way I’ve found to do this is to write a tangible list. If I try to make a list in my head, I get easily distracted, and my mind will wander back to the things I’m worried about. Writing out a list of things I’m thankful for helps me stay focused and also gives me a good visual reminder to look back on later.

This may sound too simple, but it’s effective in changing your perspective and helping your brain focus on the positives. I’d encourage you to try this at the start of your day before getting into any situation that can bring on anxiety.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7, ESV.

Rest in His Presence

When we’re overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety, we can benefit from a reset. It helps to slow down, take a step back, and remove ourselves from the negative spiral we’re in.

Now, I don’t mean just shutting down or distracting yourself, though that can be temporarily helpful.

I mean, truly rest in God’s presence. This can look like:

1. Going for a long walk or drive and talking freely to Him
2. Opening your Bible and letting the words of scripture sink in
3. Closing your eyes, turning on worship music, and letting the words be your prayer
4. Journaling out your thoughts as a prayer to God

Take a moment, breathe, and lean into Jesus.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28, NIV.

Keep an Eternal Focus

There are many things in life that can make us feel unsettled and bring on feelings of anxiety. For me, it doesn’t take much. I tend to worry about every little detail of my day, especially when it comes to interacting with others. I worry about saying too much or too little, coming across as awkward, being misunderstood, upsetting others, not making the best use of my time, and a million other things.

I often have to ask myself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” So maybe I’m awkward or embarrass myself… does that matter when it comes to eternity?

While there are, of course, bigger situations that spark my anxiety, most of the things I find myself worrying about on a daily basis are minor and have no eternal impact.

The next time you start worrying about the little things, I’d suggest considering the situation in perspective with your purpose here on earth. Even if this does go wrong, is it worth worrying about? Will it matter a year from now? Is the outcome eternally relevant?

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV.

Surrender Everything to Him

For me, it’s actually easier to trust God in the big things that I know I have no control over than it is to rely on him for the little everyday things that I think are up to me to get right.

When I have a decision to make, a conversation to have, things I need to get done in a short amount of time, etc.… I unnecessarily stress and overanalyze the situation, thinking about all the ways I could mess it up.

I’m learning to surrender my days to God. I’m realizing that he cares about the details of my life, and he is in those, too. He’s not only in charge of the big things I can’t handle on my own. The truth is: I can’t do anything right, no matter how small, without him.

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know, when I sit, and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely” Psalm 139:1-4, NIV.

5. Abide in Jesus

The idea of “perfect peace” sounds nice, doesn’t it? It also may sound like a distant fairytale that’s not actually attainable. However, the Bible tells us this is achieved by keeping our minds on Jesus.

So often, in our humanity, we can lose sight of what really matters. We get easily distracted in life by all the things the world throws at us and by the lies of the enemy.

The best way for us to safeguard against these temptations and distractions is to abide by Jesus daily. We don’t just need Him when things are going wrong; we need Him all day, every day.

Here are a few practical ways you can abide in Jesus today:

1. Start and end your day in God’s Word. Read it on your own and with others.
2. Talk to God throughout your day, remembering that he is always with you.
3. Meditate on specific verses. Write them down and put them in places you will see them.
4. Turn to God with your struggles instead of turning to worldly vices.
5. Stop the voice of the enemy when he tries to bring you down. Remember, he doesn’t stand a chance against your God, whose spirit lives within you.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” Isaiah 26:3, NIV.

All-Consuming Feelings and an Ever-Present God

Our worries and anxieties can be all-consuming at times, wearing us down and overwhelming us. Just know this: God sees you. He is with you in your struggle. Pour your heart out to Him because He cares about all of it, every single part of you.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” Psalm 61:2, KJV.