Verses for Peace & Joy

4.27.2015


"Whatever happens, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you joy."
-Philippians 3:1

Remember being little and spinning? Spinning and spinning until you can't keep your balance and you collapse in a fit of giggles. I watched the world tilt and spin until I could barely breathe. 

Being an adult is kind of like that sometimes, except this time I'm not spinning on purpose. Lately I've been feeling rushed, stressed, fearful, discontent, and frustrated. And when I feel like that, the only place that makes any sense is to turn to Jesus. 

I used to believe in God because my parents did. I went to church because they got us up every Sunday, and I didn't have a choice. But I went to college and took religion classes and met people who believed different things than me, and I chose to attend church even when no one was making me. Now I believe in God not because anyone told me to but because it's real. Because when the world is spinning, I need a place to set my eyes so I don't fall over.

I wanted to share some verses that have given me peace and joy over the last few months. They've helped me set my eyes on something solid, and maybe they'll help you too. Many of these are from Philippians, because that's where I've been focused recently. It's such a wonderful book full of truth.

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. In God, whose Word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid." - Psalm 56:3-4

"In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing." - Philippians 2:14

"Yes, everything is worthless when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ." - Philippians 3:8

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." - Philippians 4:4

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand." - Philippians 4:6-7

"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." - 1 Timothy 6:6-8

What are some of your favorite verses that you use to set your eyes on joy and peace?
Kayla MKOY said...

Wow. Phil 2:14 just slapped me in the face. In a good way ;) thank you for this post and for sharing your heart! Jesus is the ONLY thing that makes sense sometimes. Thankful for you :)

Caroline @ In Due Time said...

So good! Such truth!!! I love the first one you shared!

I always love 2 Timothy 1:7 - God DOES NOT give us a Spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. Anytime fear creeps in I remind myself it's never from Him!

Ali said...

You are going through tons of huge life changes right now; I think your feelings are warranted!

I love that Philippians 4:6-7 verse. I think it's so easy to forget that even the little things are blessings, and it's a good reminder to thank and praise Him.

Hope you're feeling settled soon!

Sara Oss said...

Well, I'm a papist and we don't read the Bible (said in jest, of course...but really, memorizing scripture has never been emphasized in any church I've belonged to) so I don't have any verses. However, I really love the Prayer of St. Francis both in prayer and song form. Also the hymn The Summons is set to Scottish music and is incredibly soothing.

Victoria said...

I'd love to hear more about what changed your mind about God and following Him!!! I didn't "grow up" in a Christian home, so I'm always super interested in hearing that perspective!

I love the way you related fear and worry to the spinning thing. That's EXACTLY what it's like!

You shared a lot of my go-to verses some others are:

Romans 8:28 AND 29 (29 is really the key); Proverbs 16:9; Galatians 6:9 (and surrounding); 1 Corinthians 15:10 (reminds me that the grace of God is EVERYTHING); Ephesians 2:10 (reminds me that God has prepared good works for me to do); John 17 (reminds me that Jesus Christ is keeping me); Jude 20-21; and James 1:12!

Also, this song is one of my favorites!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW6BnSVNw7U I read somewhere that it was based on a teaching of John Piper...I looked that up at the time and it really helped!

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

THESE ARE SO GOOD. Really needed to read this today!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing this! I have been struggling this past week in different areas and these verses were the truth I was needing to hear. Thank you, friend.

Unknown said...

You posted this at the perfect time for me.

Mimsie said...

One of my favorites has always been Proverbs 3:5-6--"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."

Sarah @ Sometimes Photojenik said...

Perfect timing for these verses friend thank you for sharing! The verse that is currently running through my mind (and is one of the first ones I cling to) is psalm 61:2- Lord I cry to you for help when I am overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (My own paraphrase). Praying for you!

Michelle said...

YES. Love this so much. I have a bunch of those verses and other verses on peace and fear written on index cards that I carry around with me when I'm feeling the same way so I can pull them out whenever the anxiety hits.

The Lady Okie said...

Thanks for sharing that song and those verses! I love them.

I don't know if this answers your question about the God thing... and maybe I worded it wrong in my post. It's not that I didn't like going to church when I was little or anything like that. We went to church and Bible study all growing up, and I went on missions trips in middle school and high school, and I was baptized in 8th grade. But when I went to college, it was the first time I chose to go to church because I wanted to, not because my whole family was going and that's what we did. In my religion classes I learned a lot about the Bible that I didn't know (like how each Gospel tells a different Christmas story; there isn't just one with the wise men and the angels, etc.). I really enjoyed our class discussions about different things and learning what other people believed, and it just solidified my beliefs instead of just believing it because my parents did or something.

The Lady Okie said...

That's a great one! Thanks for sharing. I feel filled with fear sometimes, but you're right: that is not from God!

Rachel said...

I have a bunch of these written in the back of my favorite notebook. I feel like ever since we basically took off on our non-buying a house, non-normal lifestyle....the joy has absolutely been there...but I've had to be more aware of peace, because anxiety can sneak in all too easily when I feel like I have no idea what exactly going to happen with out future. But, I'm not supposed to! Peace isn't about knowledge, it's about faith. Frequently reminders are key. I'd also add Galatians 5:22 (peace and joy are two of the fruits of the spirit!) Pretty important. And John 14:27.
Also, total side note, what version of the Bible do you read? I've never heard several of these verses quoted quite like this. I read the NAS the vast majority of the time, which I know isn't a particularly popular version.

The Lady Okie said...

I read NIV some and ESV primarily, but a few of those are actually from NLT. I have a tiny NLT Bible that my grandma gave me that's easy to carry, and I was reading Philippians on the plane last month on the way to Chicago and just loved how the NLT put some of those. I usually don't read that version.

Rach said...

I love every one of these scriptures. Definitely posted at a good time for me. Thanks for sharing. :)

By the way, is everything okay? I know you've dealt with a lot between Baby Bum & the house, but I just wanted to be sure there wasn't anything else I should be praying about for you. Let me know!

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