Plant Peace Of Mind Into Your Day

When the morning sunlight peeks through the window, there is peace.

Yes, there is peace.

No matter what season you are in, you can walk into today with peace. The Lord hands it over to us when we give our life to Him, but many times we lean on habits of the past, not on what’s new.

I have always been that person that prepares myself for anything and everything that could happen. I think and then think some more. This worrying nature of mine turns into a battle between positive and negative thinking.

My habit of worry is most prevalent when it comes to my son Danny, who also has Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. I get stuck in these thoughts of him facing the same difficulty I do when it comes to accessibility and being able to get around independently.

I worry to the point that I’ll ask him a million questions about how he feels and if he’s ok. I’ll check up on him often, forgetting that God is right there with him.

For so long, I have allowed my worry to be in constant motion, leaving peace far from my reach.

Worry Limits Our Growth

Jesus clearly tells us not to fall into the habit of worrisome thinking because it will, in turn, limit how we process our thoughts.

“Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Matthew 6:25

Jesus has opened my eyes to see how small my thinking is. When it comes to my son, I should be excited for him to experience life and be thankful that he has the abilities that he does.

I want to build him up to take on life, not set him back to worry about the little things that may or may not happen.

Jesus also asks us to consider the following question.

“Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?”

Matthew 6:27

Jesus is clear – There is nothing we can gain. Worry weighs heavy and is only a loss of time.

Settle Your Thoughts By Choosing The Lord’s Peace

The realization that I am a new creation, still clinching on to the old me, has pushed me to take action. I have to hand this over to the Lord.

I recently decided to use my garden as a sort of war room or special meeting place for myself and the Lord.

Here, I talk to Jesus, sing and worship Him, and spend time in prayer. This intentional step to be in the presence of the Lord has allowed me to learn how to breathe, release tension, and give away my anxiety.

This is all new to me, but what I can tell you so far is that the peace you gain from the Lord, when you actually hand over your fear and concerns, is true freedom.

Instead of being fearful of what my son or I might face in the day, I take a moment to talk to Jesus, and suddenly my whole body is calm. Physically, the tension releases. Emotionally, the mind settles.

Not every situation ends up stress-free. The world is still going to throw thorns our way, but we can walk into the day lighter, and refreshed, carrying the peace of the Lord. He left it for us to receive.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”

John 14:27

The key to receiving this is to make a decision to seek Him, first by inviting Him into your day, and then, by releasing to Him the worries you’re holding so tightly.

Jesus Leads Us Into A New Way Of Living

While this is a learning process, progress will come. You’ll notice a calmness and comfort in the most challenging of situations.

Jesus is here to guide us into a new way of living.

“Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread.” Matthew 6:28

We don’t need to get tied up in our thoughts trying to figure everything out. Wildflowers flourish in different environments, some of which are not ideal. I think the Lord’s hope is that we can flourish in the same way, feeling peace in any environment.

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If you have dealt with constant worry, try setting aside time for the Lord in a special way to receive His peace.