Sometimes, life is hard. Life is busy. Life is crazy. Sometimes, we all need more peace in our lives. Or, if you’re like me, you could use all you can get! So I’ve come up with a 5 step plan. Well, actually, I didn’t come up with it. God did. And I took it from Philippians and just rearranged it into a 5 step plan. So without further ado, the 5 Step Plan for Experiencing God’s Peace.
Step 1: Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything!
I’m a worry wart. I worry a lot. Sometimes, I don’t even know I’m worrying. Weird right? But if I’m praying about everything instead of worrying, then I don’t have to worry because I’m talking things through and over with God. When I actually remember to do this, I find that God does actually have everything undercontrol and I don’t have to worry. Because when I worry, that is my way of trying to take care of things myself (because I’m not trusting God to). So I must be more intentional about worrying over nothing and praying over everything.
Step 2: Tell God what I need and thank him for all he’s done.
I’ll be honest. Sometimes, I’m really good at remembering to tell God what I need but if I’m not careful, I do tend to forget to thank him for all he’s done. When I think back to all the things God has done for me though, it really puts my needs into perspective. It’s during my time of thankfulness that I realize I don’t really need half the things I’m asking for. So I must remember not just to ask for my needs but to thank God for everything he has done, is doing and will do!
Step 3: Fix my thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable.
I need to intentionally focus my thoughts. I need to control them. Sometimes, I get in my own head. I overthink things and when I overthink things, they usually end up being negative. But I have to fix my thoughts, train my thoughts, make my thoughts, focus my thoughts on what is true (not lies), honorable (virtuous), right (truth), pure (clean and faultless), lovely (kind), and admirable (worthy). So I must always keep my thoughts in check and focus them on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable
Step 4: Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise
Whenever I’m annoyed or upset, I usually don’t thing about excellent things or things worthy of praise. It’s usually quite the opposite. But it’s at times when I feel like I am least in control of my emotions that I must sure I am still thinking about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Step 5: Keep putting into practice all you learned and received
I can’t just do every once in a while. I have to keep doing. As in continuous. Everytime I have learned something or received instruction or wisdom from God, whether it’s from other people, prayer, reading the Bible, etc, I must keep putting it into practice. I can’t pick and choose. I must to keep putting into practice [all] I have learned and received.
If I can do these things, then I am promised not just the peace of God but even the God of peace himself. Don’t believe me?
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. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. // Philippians 4:6-9