The Power of Peace

Combating or overcoming fear of the future can get exhausting. Hopelessness, confusion, changed plans, and lack of vision can all get in the way of “not worrying about tomorrow” like Jesus asked us to do. Whether you like to dream big or create realistic plans, you can’t ever be fully sure of what’s inside the unknown future for your life. The power of peace stems from letting go and trusting God.  

My dad and I were on the phone the other day and he said, “Anxiety is imagining the future without God.” An anxious perspective produces a lack of hope, lack of peace, and lack of receiving our inheritance in God. But when we let go of our nightmares and choose to dream with God about our futures, we can find rest and a deeper knowledge of God in the unknown.

The pressure to know your future is not from God. It may be important to your parents or felt because of relationships but it’s not something you have to carry. You can be transformed from being plagued by fear of the future to being guarded in peace. A truth that renewed my perspective and helped me step into more peace about my future is that the Holy Spirit was given to us.  In John 14, Jesus is telling His disciples that He’s leaving but He’s giving us the Spirit who will teach us and comfort us. Verse 27 says, “Peace I leave 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.” I think Jesus had confidence in the Holy Spirit to uproot our fears through comfort and wisdom. In Christ, we can hear God. The Holy Spirit won’t leave you. You can walk day by day trusting that He will guide you on right paths. He is faithful to you and has plans to make your life good. When you feel yourself freaking out about the future, put the Holy Spirit in the picture. Imagine what could be possible with Him. He produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. He gives gifts of encouragement, mercy, leadership, compassion, healing, etc. He reveals the deep things of God’s heart and intercedes on your behalf. He’s not going to fail you no matter what the unknown holds.

Letting go is harder than it seems when panic attacks plague our days and sleepless nights overtake our weeks. It’s easy to say we are surrendering to God but living a life of surrender is much harder. We are empowered by the Spirit to receive peace and let go of worry. We have storehouses of peace within us that we access by the Spirit. We don’t have to be troubled or afraid. In Psalm 23, David was so convinced of God’s character that he feared no evil even in the valley of the shadow of death. Your future may not always look like quiet waters and green pastures, but even in the darkest times, fear is not for you. God is with you. He is for you. Try shifting your perspective from seeing God as a Father who is putting pressure on you to do what He wants into seeing God as a Father who is there for you if you fail, gives you opportunities in the ways He can, and has raised you to be royalty. Then keep in perspective that this life is fleeting. We’ve been given it to experience, enjoy, and influence how we want to but ultimately we are given life to be loved by God. Fear doesn’t get a place in that. You can let go, you can surrender, and live a life of freedom through trust. Let God love on you in the face of the unknown future.

Author | Savannah Ugan