What does the Bible say about finding peace of mind?

How then can we find relief? How is it possible to "Be careful for nothing"? Very blessedly the Apostle unfolds the way to be free, not necessarily of the trial, but of the burden of the trial, so that it no longer weighs the spirit down with care and anxiety. He says, "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Thus only shall we find relief. "In everything," whatever the trial may be, small or great, make it known to God in prayer; and tell God exactly what you wish, "let your requests be made known to Him." The requests may not be for our good, they may not be according to the mind of God; they may even be foolish, but we are to make them known to God.

What will be the result? Will He answer the requests? Will He remove the trial? He may see that to answer the request, or remove the trial would not be for our good. So far as the immediate trial is concerned, He will act in perfect wisdom for our good, according to His perfect love. But this God will do; He will relieve our hearts from the burden of the trial. If we pour out our hearts before Him, He will pour in His peace into our hearts — that peace of God which passes all understanding.

This scripture invites us to turn everything into a matter of prayer, and freely make known our requests to God. There is no guarantee, you notice, that all our requests will be granted. That would never do for our understanding is very limited and consequently we often ask for that which, if granted to us, would be neither to the glory of our Lord nor to our own blessing. What is guaranteed is that our hearts and minds shall be guarded by the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Again and again when Christians have passed through trials, from which they had in vain requested to be exempted, we find them looking back and saying, "I am a wonder to myself. How I could have passed through so heavy a trial, and yet have been lifted above it into such serenity, I cannot understand."

"The peace of God," must be distinguished from "peace with God," of which we read in Romans 5:1. That is the peace in relation to God, which comes from the knowledge of being justified before Him. This is the peace, in character like to God's own peace, which fills our hearts when having committed everything to Him in prayer, we trust in His love and wisdom on our behalf, and consequently have anxious care as to nothing.

"Be careful for nothing." I have found that word so often a thorough comfort. Even if it be a great trial, still "be careful for nothing." Oh! you say, it is not my petty circumstances - it is a question of saints going wrong. Well, "be careful for nothing." It is not that you are careless, but you are trying to carry the burden, and so you are racking your heart with it. How often a burden possesses a person's mind, and when he tries in vain to cast it off, it comes back and worries him! But "be careful for nothing" is a command, and it is blessed to have such a command.

206 What shall I do then? Go to God. "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Then in the midst of all the care you can give thanks. And we see the exceeding grace of God in this. It is not that you are to wait till you find out if what you want is the will of God. No. "Let your requests be made known." Have you a burden on your heart? Now go with your request to God. He does not say that you will get it. Paul, when he prayed, had for answer, "My grace is sufficient for thee." But peace will keep your heart and mind - not you will keep this peace. Is He ever troubled by the little things that trouble us? Do they shake His throne? He thinks of us, we know, but He is not troubled; and the peace that is in God's heart is to keep ours. I go and carry it all to Him, and I find Him all quiet about it. It is all settled. He knows quite well what He is going to do. I have laid the burden on the throne that never shakes, with the perfect certainty that God takes an interest in me, and the peace He is in keeps my heart, and I can thank Him even before the trouble has passed. I can say, Thank God, He takes an interest in me. It is a blessed thing that I can have this peace, and thus go and make my request - perhaps a very foolish one - and, instead of brooding over trials, that I can be with God about them.

We are not to be anxious about "one thing," as it is literally, but in "every thing" we are to let our requests be made known unto God: and you do this "by your prayer and by your supplication with thanksgiving." True, God knows all before we make them known: but He loves to have us come and tell Him. Actually it does not say "your prayer and your supplication," but "the prayer and the supplication". You may remember we have suggested that the Greek word "the" is like a finger pointing: and here we have two fingers, pointing to two different words. It is as though the Apostle was thinking: "by the prayer and by the supplication, which of course you will make". You recall how sometimes only one article (the) is used with two words, to link them closely together. Here we see just the opposite, twice the article is used, where we cannot use it at all, to point out the two separate acts when we come to God with our anxious, harassing cares. So we have substituted your for the "the" that we cannot use. And let us remember "every thing" means just what the word says: every single thing: the little things, as well as the big things: the things we are ashamed to bring to our Lord: in not one of these we are to be anxious: for every one is to be spread out before Him.

"And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Not, You shall keep the peace of God, but "the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds" - the peace in which God dwells; and what peace must that be? Can any circumstances shake God's throne? God is not troubled about circumstances. Lay the whole burden upon Him, "and the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds," and you shall have it flowing into your hearts as a river, passing all understanding. The word is, "Be careful for nothing," not even about the church, though God forbid that we should not care for it.

We pass on to chapter 26, and there our third lesson lies plainly before us. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusts in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (vv. 3-4). Here the lesson is TRUST: a needed lesson if we are to be kept quiet and confident in the turbulent waters of sorrow and loss. We must trust, in the absolute goodness and wisdom and love of God. We have no hope but in Him, and we need no other. We must put our whole confidence in Him and rest in His strong hand and tender heart. We must trust Him even when we cannot understand His way, and go on trusting—walking by faith and not by sight—this is the way of peace—perfect peace, of “peace, peace” as the margin reads. We put these three worth together, they give us a completed course in the school of God—SUBJECTION, HOPE and TRUST.

In Isaiah 26:3 we read His first provision, which is trust: "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." In Philippians 4:6-7 we find the other two, which are prayer and thanksgiving: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

These three things — trust, prayer and thanksgiving — can give peace of heart and mind only to those who have full assurance of salvation. Many have assurance of sins forgiven; they know they are saved and have no doubt about their eternal security through the finished work of Christ. Yet they are often unhappy because they do not have that peace they desire and which God intends for them. They are neglecting these three simple tools.

Peace of mind (Rom. 8:6). This is spiritual, and results from the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The mind of the Spirit is life and peace, but the mind of the flesh is enmity against God. If a true believer minds the things of the flesh, he has an experience which is the very opposite to what is called “life and peace.” The Holy Spirit dwells in us to lead us into the things of God, to fill our thoughts with the glories of our Lord Jesus Christ; and as the mind is occupied with and furnished by these things, peace of mind is ours. We prove in our spiritual experience the truth of that word, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee” (Isa. 26:3). To have the mind guided in the right direction is all-important in this connection.

We cannot let our thoughts go astray; we must keep them on Him. Isaiah 26:3 tells us the Lord will keep us in perfect peace if we keep our minds on Him and keep trusting Him. Why let our thoughts run wild with anxious fear? The Lord has all things under control. He is, after all, the One who is above all and able to change all; and He wants to do what is for our greatest good. If we trust Him completely and keep our thoughts on Him, we will have peace of heart and mind.

Second, “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” “In everything.” This covers all the circumstances of our path. It takes in the greatest anxiety as well as the smallest detail. It embraces circumstances over which we have no control and those into which we have been brought by our own folly and sin. Now God’s government must stand. But even here a repentant child may bring his prayer and supplication, and obtain an answer of grace. We are encouraged to make known our requests to God. “Our requests.” We are to do it by prayer. Aye, and even if pressure is great and a request much desired, we are exhorted to supplication—something more intense and importunate than prayer.

Further, we are directed to let it all be “with thanksgiving”—thanks before the answer is given. Why? We may not always get our requests granted, but we shall always have an answer of wisdom and grace. The request may be granted, or modified, or altered, or refused. In each case love is equally at work with wisdom to give us an answer that suits us best. We may not think so. God knows best. And what will be the issue to those who are thus exercised? Rejoicing in the Lord but not in circumstances. Gentle to all men. “The Lord is at hand.” Resting in a sense of God’s tender care, making known our requests with thanksgiving.