Part I

How can you find truly unshakable peace in your busy, hectic, pressurized everyday world? Everyday peace—peace when the workload is too much, when the deadlines are unrealistic, when the environment is hectic, when the people around you are losing it, when your stomach churns and your head aches—how is it possible to have unshakable peace in the midst of life’s pressures and demands?

Now, I’m not going to tell you that you shouldn’t have pressure in your life. Just between you and me, pressure is not always a bad guy. From my point of view, if you constantly live free of pressure, you’re probably not accomplishing very much. Anytime you start to get involved in anything, anytime you decide to contribute something, anytime you take on responsibilities, pressure becomes a part of the scene.

I know that I need some pressure to get me up to speed. Give me too much free time too often, and I’ll waste it. Pressure forces me to be organized and to prioritize my time much better. So, I think we may have given pressure a bad name it doesn’t always deserve.

And then, I really believe God uses pressure in our lives to teach us many things. Pressure teaches us to turn to him. Pressure makes us look up more often. Pressure keeps us aware of our need for him.

How many mornings I say to the Lord, “Lord, I really need you today.” Often I sing that great old hymn, “I need Thee, oh, I need Thee, every hour I need Thee.” Pressure makes me see how much I need him.

Of course, there is such a thing as too much pressure, and we certainly need to be careful about that. God reminds me frequently that I can’t do everything, and there is a limit to the amount of pressure I should handle. He gave us minds and will give us wisdom to know when to say “No.”

But did you ever think about this: If you don’t feel pressured, you aren’t. Pressure is a state of mind, and can only get to you through your mind. I am learning that if I don’t feel pressure, I’m not under pressure. And if I don’t think I’m under pressure, then I won’t feel pressure.

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I do not have a “laid-back” personality. I tend to run in high gear and can often display signs that the pressure is getting to me. When my mind is saying to me, “Oh, boy, you’ve got so much to do. You’re never going to make these deadlines. You’re too busy; your life is out of control,” or similar things like that, then the pressure starts to mount and they become self-fulfilling prophesies.

Jesus told us “Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). When you start thinking about all you have to do tomorrow and the next day and the next, your mind goes into panic mode. The pressures build and they are too much for you, because they are pressures from tomorrow. Jesus said we have enough to handle just for today.

But if you refuse to dwell on those thoughts, the pressures of tomorrow won’t get to you. Honestly, I’m learning to find that unshakable peace in the midst of pressure by changing and controlling my thought patterns—by not allowing myself to think of my life as pressurized. Rather when I start to think these kind of pressure thoughts, I try to stop myself and think instead of how miserable I would be with nothing to do, and how I appreciate being able to do things I love to do. I think of all the good things God has done for me and how blessed I am. And as soon as I do that, the pressure starts to subside immediately and peace begins to take over.

One of the most important concepts we can grasp in our Christian life is that we are what we think. Much of our pressure we bring on ourselves because we allow ourselves to think incorrectly. Everything begins with our thought life, and that includes whether or not we’re peaceful. If you’re not experiencing unshakable peace, check out your thought patterns.

The Bible teaches us to bring our thoughts into captivity and make them obedient to Christ. That just means you think about what you’re thinking about and you simply don’t allow your thoughts to take you where they should not go. Now, that’s easier said than done—believe me, I know that. It is a simple principle, but it is not always easy. That’s why we must have the power of God’s Spirit in order to truly have unshakable peace. And we have that power when we are born from above through faith in Jesus Christ, because then God’s Spirit comes to indwell us and empower us to do what otherwise would be difficult if not impossible.

If you can keep your mind peaceful, regardless of the hectic schedule that faces you, or the unhappy circumstances you find yourself in, or the difficult people you are dealing with, you will be peaceful. That’s because your peace is not dependent on anything except Jesus and the truth of his word.

If you’re wondering how you make it work, exactly what can you do to be peaceful in a hectic, hassled world; I have a sure fire, guaranteed formula for you. Ready—here it is. When you’re feeling pressure and you’re not feeling peaceful, stop and check out your thoughts. Take ten seconds and say to yourself, “I must refocus my thoughts so that I have peace.” And where do you refocus your thoughts? Here’s the secret—you won’t be surprised to learn that it’s found in God’s Word, Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep her in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because she trusts in Thee.”

Take some peace breaks; close your eyes, focus your mind on Jesus Christ and say to yourself, or out loud if possible, “I want to be in perfect peace right now in the midst of this pressure, so I choose to focus my mind on Jesus Christ.” You may have to do it repeatedly, but that’s okay—it will teach you the important principle of replacing wrong thoughts with right thoughts.

Unshakable peace is ours through Christ, but we must learn to appropriate it—to live in it. It’s a gift, but we have to receive it. This is such an important principle for us to learn that we’re going to focus on it for our entire Annual Weekend Getaway. What is a weekend getaway, you ask? Well, it’s just that—a weekend for women to get away from their normal routines and have time to refresh and refurbish their souls.

You will recall that Jesus frequently “got away” with his disciples. They needed time away from the pressures of the crowds and the fatigue of ministry to spend time talking and resting and finding the strength that comes through fellowship. This will be Annual Weekend Getaway number 29 for us, and I continue to host these because I see how God uses them to truly give new direction, to heal wounds, to comfort hearts—so much good is accomplished. And you know, much of it is simply because we take the time to be together with other faith-minded women, to hear God’s truth taught and sung, and to worship God without having to rush off. There’s something about getting away that makes a difference.

Maybe you’ve never attended this kind of conference, and you’re not sure whether it’s right for you or not. Let me share what one woman wrote after last year’s conference:

This weekend was so unique. The speakers really opened their hearts and shared their weaknesses. They allowed themselves to be vulnerable. All the other conferences have been like this, too, but this year seemed very special. Each year is even better than the previous year, and they are all special and done with such excellence.