HOW TO MAINTAIN INNER PEACE:

John 14:27 New International Version (NIV)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

If God gave us peace as said in the above scripture, why is it that at times we find ourselves wrestling in our minds, failing to maintain this freely given peace within ourselves?

There is this saying that “Ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets inside them”. This occurs as a result of a collision, heavy storms, wild waves, excess loading etc. A ship is designed to float on water and I believe this works for you too. You should float above any challenges and not allow them inside to weigh you down.

In life, it is easy to overload ourselves with unnecessary baggage. It is easy to get distracted and lose focus because of the things we pay attention to especially nowadays with technology. There is no more peace and oneness in some relationships be it families, friends, community because no one pays attention to another.  People are living a busy life, seeking quick solutions etc.

It is important to do a thorough examination and eliminate unwanted baggage from your life.  When you are not at peace, you find yourself wrestling in your mind, being anxious, stressed, exhausted, having mood swings, conflicts, sleepless nights, complaining, unforgiving and poor time management. The people you allow in your life affect the way you live your life. When you spend time with negative, judgemental, angry, criticising people in no time you become the same if not careful.

The solution is to de-clutter and renew your mind.

Here are some tips:

• Seek help from reliable people or support services;
• Meditate on the word of God and pray;
• Go for a walk or do some gentle exercises;
• Take time to rest and have quiet time alone and reflect on positive areas;
• Plan and prioritize your work and tasks;
• Set yourself free from approval addiction and pleasing people;
• Listen to inspirational music and messages;
• Be content with what you have;
• Be yourself;
• Work within your budget and ability;
• Keep good company; and
• Forgive and move on.

Challenges and storms are part of life but one thing I know is that there is no storm that lasts forever. Do not allow past destructions to rob your peace, learn from the process and improve. Treat any distractions as spam email which you delete without opening otherwise your computer (your mind) will be attacked by viruses which might be difficult to eradicate.

I have included the following bible scriptures, please have a read.

Philippians 4 v 6 – 8

Colossians 3 v 15 – 17

1 Peter 5 v 6 – 10

Hebrews 12 v 14

Joshua 1 v 8