Peace of mind is an elusive dream for many people. They are quickly distracted by the difficult circumstances of life and spend much of their time worrying about what may come. In a sinful world, bad habits are easy to come by!

The Christian mind is a peaceful mind. It is not that Christians avoid the complex challenges in this life. In fact, trials are a necessary part of the Christian life. The peace the Christian enjoys does not make sense to an unbelieving world. It is a peace that is beyond comprehension. Consider the following verses:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:4–8

First of all, the believer always has reason to rejoice. Our greatest dilemma in this life has already been resolved. We were once enemies of God and are now reconciled to Him. We were once without hope; now we have a living hope. We used to be in bondage to sin; now we are free to live in a manner that pleases the Lord.

God’s presence in our lives is a constant comfort. We can be content in this life because of our confidence in a sovereign God. His ways are perfect and He will never fail us. In fact, we can take every concern that is on our heart and entrust it to the One who loves us supremely.

The Christian is also overflowing with thanksgiving. We are thankful for what God has already accomplished in our lives, and we are thankful because we can trust Him with whatever is yet to come.

The peace that we enjoy originates with God. It is His peace that guards our hearts and minds. Verse 8 is a crucial reminder that after we bring our concerns and requests to God, we must be diligent in thinking on those things that are honorable to our God. Once again, we must consider the tremendous value of meditating on God’s word. The obedient Christian must train their mind to think consistently and deeply on the truths of God’s word. This is not casual Christianity. The Christian must have a disciplined mind if they are to enjoy the peace that passes all understanding.

Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that:

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.