“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”  ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sometimes a lack of peace is the result of perfectionism.

When I read ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬ , the saying, “practice makes perfect” came to mind. The ONLY perfect human being to ever live was Jesus. While believers will never reach perfection on this side of heaven we can experience the God of peace. How? By putting the principles of God’s Word into practice in our lives. 

We have instant access to ‘learning’ today, but if we do not put what we learn into practice, how does it benefit us? James put it like this: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (NKJV) 

Sometimes a lack of peace is the result of disobedience.  

Are you faithfully following the things you have learned from God’s Word? Examine yourself and see if you are “practicing” the example of Jesus. If not, repent (confess and turn from your sin) and allow the peace of God to restore you. 

Sometimes a lack of peace is the result of life stress.

Does peace ever feel like an elusive dream? We are constantly bombarded with the cares of life. When you lay your head down to sleep at night, is your mind at peace, or do your racing thoughts make it impossible to quiet your spirit? 

Several years ago I was tested for sleep apnea. Thankfully, that was not the issue; however, they confirmed I suffered from insomnia. This dilemma led to a decision … do I spend the rest of my life relying on medication to help me sleep, or is there a better way? 

Over and over in Psalms, David writes about meditating on the Word of God. I tried listening to worship music as I was going to sleep. Didn’t work. Then I remembered something from my college days. When I was studying for a test, I used to tape my notes and listen to them through headphones as I was drifting off to sleep. I found my unconscious mind was able to process the information much easier than my conscious mind, which was susceptible to distraction. 

I began listening to sermons at bedtime. By focusing on what the speaker was saying I was able to intercept the disruptive thoughts keeping me awake. Normally I am asleep before the sermon ends. Why? Because I changed my focus from my problems to my source of peace. 

The peace of God follows the presence of God.