“Peace of Mind”

​“Breathe, Breathe…” As I am uttering those words to myself, I can feel the tightness in my chest and my heart pounding. I am trying to calm myself down-But my mind is spinning out of control. I can feel the world on my shoulders. I have to force myself to breathe in and out until I am able to release the tension. This is usually the norm for me when I feel like everything in my life is out of control and stressful.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is probably the new norm for everyone- stressing and worrying about the uncertainty of not knowing if we will ever go back to what we used to know as normal or if this is our new normal, what will our future look like.
Regardless of our differences, I think we all can agree that we strive for Peace in our lives, in our minds, in our homes and workplaces. However, with everything going on in our lives, Peace seems so far away. It seems like the only time we will get Peace is if we escape to a secluded island or mountain- free from our problems and harsh realities.
On Instagram, I love to follow travel blogs that showcase beautiful destination photos from around the world. Sometimes, I screenshot the images and just imagine what it would be like travelling to those beautiful places away from it all. In those moments, I can feel the Peace and joy of what it would feel like gazing out to the beautiful clear blue ocean, walking on a white sandy beach and just being mesmerized by the sounds of the ocean. Or sometimes, I imagine myself sitting still by a lake staring into the mountains- no one in sight and all I can hear are the sounds from wildlife and nature.
Yes, can you feel it too? The Peace? Just thinking about those places makes me feel calm and happy.
Yet, when it is too much for me to sit still and imagine being in a peaceful place, I would turn to sleeping pills or natural dietary supplements to relax my mind or sleep off the anxiety. They are my quick fixes to escape my reality and the stressful thoughts that plague my mind- But they are only temporary and far from being a solution to my problems.
Have you ever been so angry or sad because you wanted Peace so bad and could not get it?
During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to try something different. I just slowly imagined myself sitting with Jesus. I picked a beautiful, peaceful place and just imagined us sitting next to each other side by side. I opened my heart and decided to be honest with Him about my feelings and thoughts. I talked and I listened for His response.
Every time I imagine sitting next to Jesus, I am in awe of His beautiful face and the Peace I feel being in His presence. All I want to do is hold Him and never let go. I always feel protected and unafraid. Even though, He is physically not sitting next to me, I know His Presence is with me and He is my Peace.
Know that Peace is not about going to a beautiful quiet place for vacation or being home alone. Sometimes you will have nowhere to go, and the noise of the world will be loud. Your circumstances may be overwhelming- but Jesus is not far away. His Peace is close by. His Peace is Everlasting. His Peace is Supernatural.