Peace is something many people long for yet often struggle to hold onto. We can be surrounded by noise, responsibilities, and even conflict with others, but the most brutal battles are sometimes inside our hearts. We wrestle with guilt from the past, anxiety about the future, or dissatisfaction with who we are right now. Yet the Word of God reminds us that true peace is not something we create by willpower, it is something God gives.

Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). The world’s peace depends on circumstances being calm, but the peace of Christ steadies us even when life is storming around us. Finding peace with yourself begins by believing that God’s love for you is not fragile or conditional. Paul wrote, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). If God has already declared you forgiven and accepted in Christ, then you do not need to keep punishing yourself for yesterday’s failures.

But peace with yourself is never separate from peace with others. The restlessness of holding grudges or nursing bitterness will always poison the soul. Paul urges believers, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). That doesn’t mean you can control every relationship, but you can release anger and extend grace. Sometimes the most significant step toward inner peace is simply deciding not to let resentment take root.

Of course, peace does not mean ignoring truth or pretending that pain doesn’t exist. Jesus Himself wept, grew weary, and faced rejection. Yet He trusted His Father and spoke words of forgiveness even from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). His example shows us that peace comes not by escaping hardship, but by surrendering ourselves to God’s care and allowing Him to transform how we respond.

When you find yourself restless inside, turn again to prayer. Pour out your worries before the Lord and remember the promise: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 4:7). That peace is steady, lasting, and strong enough to hold you together. It reconciles you to God, softens your spirit toward others, and quiets the turmoil within.

By: Justin Odom