“When Peace Feels Out of Reach”

There’s a strange silence that settles into the soul when life is loud. Ever been there?

You’re doing all the right things—reading Scripture, showing up for work, smiling at church, putting one foot in front of the other—but your soul feels like it’s limping. The peace that surpasses understanding? You’d settle for a peace that just makes it through lunchtime.

In a world that thrives on constant stimulation and a culture that glorifies hustle, our internal equilibrium often takes the hardest hit. Stress becomes our soundtrack. Anxiety creeps in like background noise we’ve learned to live with. And slowly, subtly, we start to confuse survival with sanctification.

But let me remind you of something sacred: Peace is not passive. Peace is pursued.

Jesus and the Storm Within

Mark 4:39 (ESV) tells us: “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Now, Jesus didn’t just silence a weather system—He demonstrated His authority over the chaos inside the disciples. These were seasoned fishermen. What scared them wasn’t the storm itself but the sense that God was sleeping through it. Ever felt like that?

We can survive the storm if we know God is steering the boat. But when it feels like God is silent, panic sets in. And yet, here’s the heart of the gospel truth: Jesus was in the boat all along. And that means the presence of peace is never determined by the absence of problems, but by the presence of Christ.

Peace Is a Discipline, Not Just a Feeling

Too often, we treat peace like something we stumble upon—like a lucky day or a stress-free afternoon. But Scripture teaches us something different. Romans 14:19 says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

Pursue. Chase. Hunt it down.

That means we have a role to play in building rhythms that support peace. That includes setting boundaries, limiting toxic inputs, getting honest in prayer, attending therapy, and yes—sometimes even just turning the phone off and breathing on purpose.

Peace isn’t something that just “shows up.” It’s cultivated. It’s intentional. And it’s always worth the effort.

When God Is Silent, Keep Speaking

One of the hardest truths I’ve learned both in the therapy office and in the pastor’s study is this: silence doesn’t mean absence.

When God feels silent, it may be an invitation to lean in—not to lean away. The Psalms are full of cries that begin in chaos and end in confidence—not because the situation changed, but because the soul did.

Psalm 42:11 says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Peace is not always immediate. But it is always promised. And that promise is rooted in the unshakable, unchanging nature of our Savior who still speaks to storms.

Practical Soul Work

If peace feels far off today, here are three ways to gently pursue it:
1. Schedule quiet – not just physical stillness, but sacred silence. Sit with Scripture. Sit with God. Sit with yourself.
2. Name your noise – What thoughts or fears keep running laps in your mind? Journaling them can help bring clarity and healing.
3. Talk it through – with a trusted friend, pastor, or therapist. Peace often enters through the door of vulnerability.

Let me leave you with this:

You may feel overwhelmed, but you are not overlooked.
You may feel broken, but you are not abandoned.
Peace is coming. And His name is Jesus.

Keep going. Keep praying. Keep breathing.