10 Ways to Keep Your Peace
“Consider the surface of a lake, above which the sun is shining. If the surface of the lake is peaceful and tranquil, the sun will be reflected in this lake; and the more peaceful the lake, the more perfectly will it be reflected. If, on the contrary, the surface of the lake is agitated, undulating, then the image of the sun can not be reflected in it. It is a little bit like this with regard to our soul in relationship to God. The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us.”
Jacques Philippe
Life often feels like a constant battle for peace. We struggle with lingering resentment, stressful environments at work and home, anxiety about the future, difficulty forgiving, comparison, overstimulation, disorder, excessive hurry, and a perpetual state of depletion. We can waste so much of our time in this state of unrest and lack of peace. This is not how God intended for us to live or how He wants us to steward our time. He wants us to experience the freedom and fullness of who He created us to be. Peace is not something we need to strive for or earn; it is a gift that God wants to freely give us. We just need to be open and receptive to receive it. Those who possess peace naturally impart it to others. After all, how can we offer peace to others if we don't have it ourselves?
A valuable resource outside scripture that I have found helpful in strengthening my interior life and maintaining my peace is Jacques Philippe's book Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart. Here are ten ways I have learned to keep my peace through Jacques Philippe:
Fix Your Gaze on Jesus and Prefer Him Above All Else: We can’t find peace apart from God. We won’t find true peace in the world because God’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Peace is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and where we experience God, we will experience peace. Regularly practicing prayer, silence, scripture reading, and receiving the Sacraments sustains our relationship with God. As Sr. Mary Grace, S.V., shared at a Seek Conference, “God’s heart beats for you in every Eucharist.” We have access to peace when we receive Jesus. There is nothing more efficacious for growing in virtue than love and relationship with God. Make time to contemplate with God and give Him permission to do more for us than we can do for ourselves.
Remember You Are in Spiritual Combat: Peace is what the enemy is trying to steal from you. “A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). God freely gives you peace, and it is our responsibility to protect it. Sometimes we get distracted, become agitated, try to figure everything out on our own, take on more work, or work and fight harder. But is this the right battle to fight? We must rest in the truth that when we are on God’s side, victory is absolute.
Have Total Confidence and Abandonment to God: We must give our whole selves to God and let go of everything else. “The measure of our interior peace will be that of our abandonment, consequently of our detachment” (Jacques Philippe). It doesn’t have to depend solely on us; we can rely fully on God. God asks for detachment in our hearts while still allowing us to enjoy the things of this life without being consumed by them. If it is challenging to let go, we can ask God for the grace to help us. We also shouldn't feel like it is all up to us and that we can only rely on ourselves. Full reliance on God will give us real, lasting peace.
Where There is Suffering, There is Redemption: When we go through hard times, it can naturally catch us off guard. Suffering can bring many emotions and questions about God’s goodness. However, suffering is permitted by God if it will bring about greater things in us. It can reveal the wisdom of God and create room for us to have confidence in Him. Do we believe God is good and powerful enough to bring good from everything?
Be Patient, Pause and Slow Down Your Response: The people closest to us will test our patience the most and frequently cause us to lose our peace. However, God calls us to desire what is good for others and to maintain a good disposition in our hearts. While we have no control over changing others, we do have control over our response and can let God transform us in that moment. We can either emotionally react and lose our peace or respond with love and keep our peace. We should also patiently wait on the Holy Spirit instead of seeking quick fixes or instant answers. As St. Augustine said, “Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence.” God asks that we trust Him to bring good out of all circumstances.
Be Receptive to God’s Grace: How can we allow God’s peace to come back into our hearts after sin and falling? We don’t have to use so much effort to get peace; we just need to let God work. “The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:14). What pleases God more is our repentance, our quick return to God with confidence and gratitude for His mercy. When we are prideful, we have placed trust in ourselves rather than confidence in God.
Come Swiftly to God After Falling into Sin: We may feel like it is difficult for us to pray during times of desolation, but it is the most important time to pray. The devil wants us to stay discouraged and distant from God. When we sin, we are even more required to come to God and let The Divine Physician take care of us. We don’t have to be saints before we have a consistent prayer life; we just need to tell God we need Him in our weakness. We should know that, like a good parent swiftly comes to pick up their child when they fall, God comes to us the same way and wants to carry us if we allow Him to. We think we need to be perfect before we can come before God, but that is a lie. We can come as we are, wherever we are, even in the darkest pit, and ask God for His forgiveness.
Do Not Be Afraid of Failure: When we fail or make mistakes, we have the chance to gain humility through God’s mercy. However, dwelling on our defeats can cause us to lose even more. It’s okay to make decisions slowly rather than hastily, allowing us to consider our choices carefully and understand our intentions. If a decision is simple, we shouldn’t make ourselves unnecessarily uneasy over it. Don't trouble yourself more than you have to. It’s important to pray and seek counsel when making decisions. In times of uncertainty, we should follow St. Faustina’s guidance: “In incertitude, one must tell oneself: whatever I do, it will be good, provided that I have the intention to do good…God looks at the intention with which we begin and He grants the reward according to this intention.” Accepting that we can be wrong and approaching it with humility is key. It’s about sanctification, not perfectionism. The goal is to learn how to maintain peace in all circumstances, including defeat.
We Are Good Enough: God did not make mistakes in creating us. He designed us uniquely and for a specific purpose. It is natural to experience temptation. When we are in a state of sin, the devil may tempt us further. When we are close to God, the devil may tempt us with seemingly good things, causing us to feel inadequate. During these times, we can reach out to Christ-centered friends and family who can offer affirmation and clarity. We can also ask the Father to remind us of our true identity as His children and that what He made is good.
Start Small: Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of achieving great things. We can make a significant impact by doing small things with great love. As Jesus says in Matthew 25:21, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.” God values our faithfulness in the small things, and His grace can lead us to greater things.
“As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you”
Matthew 10:12
question to ponder
The more time we spend with God, the more we reflect Him. As we draw nearer to Him, we experience His peace more profoundly.
What has taken away our peace?
How can we create space for Jesus, the Prince of Peace, in our lives?
