We are in constant warfare with the world, with the flesh and with the enemy and these influences constantly seek to interrupt our peace. As a result of this, we need to carefully look at what God offers in cultivating a lifestyle of peace. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians [Philippians 4: 4-9] tells us to “never worry about anything but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude and the peace of God, which is beyond our understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” [Phil: 4: 6-7].
We need to find and to sustain the joy of our salvation for this is the foundation of our joy in God. That joy prompts us to express our gratitude to God whenever our peace is threatened. When the worry tree is operational, ask Jesus to remind you what is important in your life at that juncture. You pay him a compliment when you ask for directions as He has invited you to ask [Mathew 7: 7].
We are often bombarded by sounds, images and thoughts that are negative in nature. The brain is designed to focus on the negative to help us to survive. This is the ideal environment for the enemy to whisper to us “little lies” that can keep us off balance and interfere with our ability to consider the good things that God’s salvation has offered us.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen offered an antidote for anxiety. He said that anxiety flows from an unhealthy fixation on time particularly an obsession with the past or dread of the future. He said that we need to focus on the minute that we engage by detaching ourselves from issues that reflect self-absorption, by engaging in prayer asking for assistance and by applying our energies to helping those who need our assistance.
Peace requires us not to be in a rush but rather to know that God wants us to respond to life’s issues with calmness and with prayerful deliberations unimpeded by issues of self-absorption and to take the opportunity to help another who is having a bad day.
God Gracious 