PEACE of Mind

I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid. 

John 14:27NLT

I awoke from my sleep at 2:30am and could not get back to sleep.  As much as I tossed and turned trying to get back into that comfortable position, I just couldn’t get back to slumber.  I turned on the TV hoping to catch a classic black and white film and get lulled back to sleep.  Before the start of the film, three commercials – life insurance, home security system and identity theft system popped up on the screen.  Each :30 second clip assured the viewer that their respective services would provide “peace of mind.”  Like you, auto and home insurance and home security system along with other “protective services” offer a sense of precaution and protection for you and your family.  These systems offer a sense of comfort and calm as well as free you from the anxiety of worry and concern.

Ironically enough for all the assurances peace of mind offers, you pay for these services.  If you lapse in paying a premium those services are removed.  The peace of mind that comes from AAA® auto services or RING® come with a price and it comes from your wallet.  On the other hand, I have come to realize an inner peace independent of outside influences like shopping, alcohol, sex, drugs, etc. found in my spiritual-centered relationship with Christ.  I don’t pay for this calm.  Frankly, God paid for our access to peace of mind on the cross. 

Since I turned 50, I have made all decisions related to career, relationships, spending, etc. through the peace of mind filter.  I ask myself the question whenever confronted with making a judgement call – how is this (fill in the ______ blank) going to impact my daily peace of mind?

My career choices, no matter the salary package, must include considerations of how the job will impact my peace of mind?  I am certain you can come up with other thoughts and factors.  Below is just a few of mine:

• How are the services the job provides consistent with my personal mission and vision to serve?
• How is the commute?
• How is my interaction with the staff going to impact the work I do?
• How is my life going to be impacted by this job?  Work-Life Balance?

My relationships of the social and romantic variety also go through the peace of mind filter.  In fact, these relationships are super important because they reveal the character of who you are.  Again, ask yourself:

• Is this person going to bring positivity and authenticity to my life?
• How is this person going to enhance my perspective and stimulate my intellectual bandwidth?
• How much work will be required to maintain the relationship?
• How fulfilled will we be in each other’s lives?

Think about it, what would you be willing to do to achieve this peace of mind?

1. These words mean that you have a peaceful mind that is not agitated and disturbed by what people say or do.
2. It means not taking things too personally.
3. It means having control of your thoughts, and the ability to decide what thoughts to let into your mind and which ones to reject.
4. You can have peace of mind when you have no worries, no fears, and when nothing is troubling your mind.
5. Eliminating stress from your life makes your mind peaceful and calm.

Instead, we often dwell on

1. “Having money in the bank gives me peace of mind.”
2. “Now that I have a good job, I have peace of mind.”
3. “I feel safe and secure now that I have my own house and can afford to maintain it.”

Personally, my relationship with God has provided me with my mind free from unnecessary thoughts, I see everything as it is, without bias, my attention improves, as well as my common sense and ability to study and understand. It also becomes easier to focus the mind, and the five senses get sharper, since I can disregard distractions and can more easily control my attention.

I encourage you to strengthen your soul with a spiritual relationship with Christ.  In your quiet time, if you can find some, pray; speak with God about the things that are causing distress and distractions.  Realize you are not alone in what worries you.  God has taken care of it for them and will take care of it for you, too.  I am grateful God has afforded me with the gift of peace of mind.  All I have to do is access it.

…now what, Linda