Meditations to Combat Anxiety
A waterfall cascaded down Peter’s face as rain pelted him like thousands of tiny rocks. He could barely make out the frantic yells of his fellow disciples as the wind whistled round his ears. A seasoned fisherman, he was used to squalls. But he’d never experienced anything like this. Squinting beyond the bow, a lightning flash illuminated a towering dark shadow on the horizon.
The whites of his eyes doubled in size. In mere seconds the wave would capsize their small fishing boat. Peter ran to the stern as the boat pitched up and slammed back down.
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Peter yelled as he shook Jesus awake.
Jesus yawned and stretched out his arms. Standing up, he rubbed his eyes and purveyed the chaotic scene.
“Peace, be still!”
In Mark 4:35-40, Jesus commands the sea to be still. But the phrase applies just as much to the disciples as it does to the waves.
With their eyes filled with visions of death, the disciples freak out. They had their eyes stuck on the waves and forgot about the One who was for them, with them, and who wasn’t bound to the “realities” of the physical world. Jesus rebukes them, saying “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
Meanwhile, Jesus is the vision of peace. He doesn’t have a care in the world as he sleeps in the boat. Apparently he enjoyed water-beds.
So how can we learn to be like Jesus and sleep, no matter the storm raging around us? How can we live in a state of quiet, harmony, and free from upsetting thoughts or feelings?
We put our trust in God (faith), and know that, through the blood of Jesus, we’re now one with God. We’re never alone in life. Our Savior is always in our boat.
Below are 10 verses about peace to meditate on:
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Psalm 23:2-3 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul…
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.
Judges 6:23-24 Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an alter there to the lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace (Jehovah Shalom).
Psalm 56:11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
There are a few common threads weaving throughout these verses—trusting in God and keeping our mind on Him/ His word.
We can choose to let that bouncy-ball of anxious thoughts bounce right out the backdoor of our mind, and instead fill our mind with God-thoughts. Instead of I’ll never be able to pay the bills, we think God is my provider. Instead of I’m all alone, we think Jesus is with me always, His Holy Spirit lives in me.
Our Father’s instructions will guide us into living our best life, and He’ll always take care of us.
Like a child, it’s not our responsibility to figure out and understand everything. We get to sit in the back seat of the car, enjoy the view of life out the window, and know our Father is going to steer us in the right direction.
Shalom.