Ep. 38 When Peace Feels Impossible: Turn to Faith and Do *THIS* Instead
“Key Takeaways” from this episode: faith, love, peace, neuroscience, neuroplasticity, Christian women, Christmas music, peace pause, hope, Jesus, stress, holiday season, mental health, faith, resilience, impossible
What do we do in seasons that are *supposed* to be joyful but often are a source of stress, a trigger for grief, or an isolating experience?
Hi there, I'm your host and Christian Personal Trainer for Thought Patterns Ashriel and today I wanted to pause to talk about what it's like when peace-of-mind during the holidays feels like something for "others" but not you. For many, Christmas and celebrations can feel like a whirlwind of stress and expectations, and I totally get that. Sometimes, finding peace feels like an impossible task, doesn’t it?
But here’s the thing: peace is not just a distant dream; it’s a GIFT that God wants us to embrace, even when everything around us feels chaotic. We listen to Christmas music on repeat that tell us about the nature of God and how He sent Jesus to bring peace on earth. Now whether holiday tunes makes you want to chuck a fruitcake or they bring you unspeakable joy, there’s still a message tucked within the notes that remind us what to do when peace feels impossible.
When peace feels impossible, instead fix your eyes on Jesus. Think of it as a peace pause, where when you feel chaotic, you choose to pause what you’re doing and direct your attention to Jesus, the source of peace.
You cannot think your way out of your problem or the overwhelm. You need to do something different and that starts with shifting how you’re seeing things by focusing on Jesus. When life gets too “lifey” and things feel too hard to face, take some intentional peace pauses throughout your day to “look wide” and see Jesus is there with you in the day and express gratitude.
Jesus is peace and fixing your gaze on Him will bring His unshakeable peace, security, and confidence into your mind and over your situation. Today, maybe sit with a warm cup of coffee and reflect on God’s goodness and offer a prayer of thanks for how He’s provided for you today. Or put on your favorite Christmas songs that lift your spirit and remind you of His love and promise of peace.
REFLECT: What can I do in my ‘Peace Pause’ to connect with Jesus?
You know, it’s so easy to let life’s circumstances cloud our hearts, but shifting our focus from despair to gratitude can really change things. Around here we talk a lot about neuroplasticity—the idea that we can actually rewire our brains through intentional thinking. When we focus on what we’re thankful for, we can cultivate a mindset of peace. We can start training our brains that, when we feel overwhelmed, we have a process to do instead of staying stuck. We fix our eyes on Jesus with a peace pause so we can have His peace, joy, love, and hope in the journey.
And remember, you’re not alone in this. God is right there with you, ready to fill your heart with His peace using the connective power of love through the language of gratitude. So instead of focusing on what feels impossible, instead, let’s focus on Jesus.
Let’s keep encouraging each other to embrace hope and find joy in our seasons as we work to grow ourselves and the kingdom. I’m rooting for you always!
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