Does the world seem like a mess these days?
There’s
war in the Middle East—again. Gas prices are going up, and your parents are complaining about how expensive everything is. AI might make
it harder for you to find a job when you finish school. Your friends are anxious. And you’ve been doom-scrolling way
too much.
Is it even possible to be at peace anymore?
Peace Is Possible!
Yes! Just before Jesus was crucified, He promised His disciples: “Peace I leave with 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” (John
14:27).
That promise is also for you and me. True peace is not dependent on your circumstances. It is not the result of a
life that is free of trouble. Instead, peace means you have inner calm and joy no matter what happens.
That sounds wonderful, right? But how is that even possible?
Peace is a gift from Jesus. It comes from being in a saving relationship with Him. Salvation is the root of all true
peace: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
But here’s the reality.
You can know you are saved
and still be anxious about this mixed-up world. Thankfully, even when your feelings are overwhelming, Jesus doesn’t
let go of you. He promises to give you a deeper peace, even if your anxiety doesn’t immediately vanish.
Here’s the secret to experiencing that deeper peace: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
True peace comes from trusting God and focusing on His goodness, rather than on the problems around us.
How Hezekiah Found Peace Under Pressure
Do you remember who King Hezekiah was? He was one of the few good kings of Judah—he actually followed God and taught
his people to do the same. Yet he lived at a time of constant war with the Assyrians. The Assyrians were known for
their cruelty, so Hezekiah spent considerable time fortifying Jerusalem.
Isaiah 36 and 37 tell the story of how the Assyrian King Sennacherib captured a bunch of the Judean cities. Then he
besieged Jerusalem. He taunted the inhabitants of Jerusalem mercilessly.
Don’t think that your God will help you, he mocked. He’s as weak as all the other gods. I’m going to destroy you
just like I destroyed all the other nations!
(See Isaiah 36:4–20.)
Notice how King Hezekiah responded. He didn’t ignore the danger—but he chose to bring it to God instead of letting
fear take over:
- He went into God’s house. As soon as Hezekiah heard about
Sennacherib’s taunts, he went to the place where he knew he could be in God’s presence (Isaiah 37:1, 14).
- He asked others to pray. Hezekiah sent his most trusted
servants to the prophet Isaiah with an urgent plea for him to pray for the city and God’s people (Isaiah 37:2–4).
- He physically spread out his problems before God. Hezekiah
took the letter from Sennacherib with him into the temple and spread it out before God (Isaiah 37:14).
- He prayed for God’s help. Hezekiah didn’t just leave the
praying to others. He personally pleaded for God’s intervention on behalf of Jerusalem and God’s people (Isaiah
37:15–20).
God listened and intervened. He sent the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah with the encouraging message: “Because you
have prayed to Me against Sennacherib, king of Assyria… I will defend this city, to save it” (Isaiah 37:21, 35).
You Can Have Peace Too
Remember the verse we mentioned earlier? “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because
he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
King Hezekiah’s example shows us how to keep our “mind stayed on God” even in difficult circumstances:
- Get in God’s presence: When life is hard,
actively seek out time with God. Your daily devotions are especially important in tough seasons. If you can
physically go to church or another place where you have met with God before, even better.
- Call up the prayer warriors: Invite others to pray with
you—even one trusted person can make a difference. And remember that Jesus is praying for you. (See Hebrews 7:25.)
- Spread out your problems for God: Write God a letter about
the things that are making you anxious. Or record a private video prayer—just between you and God.
- Talk to God. A lot! Tell God all about the problem and ask
Him to intervene in your life so that He can be honored. He will listen.
The same God Hezekiah trusted is revealed fully in Jesus—the One who offers you peace today.
Peace is possible. You can accept God’s gift of salvation and choose to focus on His goodness. When you do, you will
begin to experience a peace that is stronger than anxiety, even in the midst of war!
Want to learn more about what the Bible says about what is happening in our world today? Check out this
Friday Night Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor.