Peace of Mind

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

–Ps 91:1-3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

–Phil 4:6-7

An author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) said, “People are basically the same the world over.  Everybody wants the same things – to be happy, to be healthy, to be at least reasonably prosperous, and to be secure.  They want friends, peace of mind, good family relationships, and hope that tomorrow is going to be even better than today.”  Romans 15:13 says  may the God of hope fill us with peace in believing, so that with the power of the Holy Spirit we may abound in hope.  Such peace is found in Christ.  This was why Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), a German-born American political theorist wrote, “Dedicate yourself to the good you deserve and desire for yourself.  Give yourself peace of mind.  You deserve to be happy.  You deserve delight.”

Age Gracefully

Cherie Lunghi (b. 1952), an English actress stated, “I think it’s nice to age gracefully.  OK, you lose the youth, a certain stamina and dewy glow, but what you gain on the inside as a human being is wonderful: the wisdom, the acceptance and peace of mind.  It’s a fair exchange.”  The 14^th Dalai Lama (b. 1935), a monk of the Gelug School, observed, “Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not the way – everything is interdependent, not absolute.  So that view is very helpful to maintain a peace of mind because the main destroyer of a peaceful mind is anger.”  So, why should we become disheartened about aging?

Do Your Best

John 16:33 tells us that with Christ we’ll have peace.  In the world there will be tribulation, but we must take heart, because our Lord has overcome the world.  James E. Faust (1920–2007), a religious leader explained, “We are bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don’t want or need.  More information is generated in a single day than we can absorb in a lifetime.  To fully enjoy life, all of us must find our own breathing space and peace of mind.”  John Wooden (1910–2010), a basketball player summed up what ought to be our best approach to a successful life when he remarked, “Success is peace of mind which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”