“Looking to our feelings to steady our souls instead of Truth is dangerous ground.” – Lysa TerKeurst

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Pass from evil and do good, seek peace and run after it!” – Psalm 34:14 (Aramaic Bible)

All of us desire to live a peaceful, happy life, but at times; the concept of it seems like an improbable aspiration.  The minute we seem to achieve it, only seconds tick by and we are faced with yet another set of circumstances that quickly steal it away.

When it comes to our peace and contentment, so many things in this world can take on the persona of a bandit – sneaking up on us and robbing us of our joy.

Of course, there are very obvious, overt events that can steal away our happiness, but what about the hidden things – the unconscious ways we think or act that sneak up on us and seem to elusively “pickpocket” our peace out from under us.  We don’t even realize it is happening, yet before we know it, true joy and contentment are gone.

So, what are some of these hidden thieves of our peace?

MAKING ASSUMPTIONS

“Your assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” – Isaac Asimov

“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Daniel J. Boorstin

What assumptions are you making right now that are robbing you of your happiness?  What is your mind and ego concluding about something or someone that could be the farthest thing from reality and truth?

Our ego wants us to embrace our assumptions as truth.  After all, there is nothing more secure and empowering than coming to the personal conclusion that we have it all figured out 😊

The fact is we have no clue what another person might be thinking.  We have no idea what motives are driving their actions.  We have no possible clue to what might really happen tomorrow, or even within the next hour for that matter.  Think of the horrible misunderstandings, the personal drama, and the emotional turmoil you create by making assumptions about things that you really have no possible way of validating.

We often make assumptions about people, about ourselves, and about our futures that have little truth found in them.  Think about the sadness, the worry, and the emptiness you have created in your own life based on assumptions – simply by embracing conjecture, theories, or notions you might have about someone or something.

Instead, have the courage to challenge your assumptions.  Learn to become a seeker of truth and facts.  Become satisfied with not knowing versus conjuring up your own set of conclusions that could be devastatingly incorrect.

“Pause and remember – Making the wrong assumptions causes pain and suffering for everyone.” – Jenni Young

BELIEVING THAT LIFE IS FATE-DRIVEN

The events of life have a way of deceiving us into believing that happiness is a matter of luck, chance, and fate.  We see the accident that forever changed someone or the terminal diagnosis that came out of nowhere.  We see the couple who get all the breaks and the friends who can’t seem to catch one.  We see all the uncertainty that life has to offer, and we falsely believe we are a prisoner to chance.

On the other hand, some of us are so concerned about fate, we do everything in our own power to tip the scales in our favor.  Our ego wants us to believe that we have the power to control our own destiny.  So, we eat right and exercise, but the cancer still comes.  We financially plan for our future and the future is filled with unforeseen losses.  We look for and marry the perfect mate who turns out to be not so perfect after all.

Think about the levels of anxiety and concern that are driven by this belief – the idea that the quality of our lives is simply a matter of fate and that we must do everything within our own power to avoid any kind of bad luck or misfortune.  Can you see how this subconscious attitude can steal our peace?

Look closely around you my friend.  Look at the miracle of life itself!  One has to look no further than creation to see the purpose and order found within it – everything created with intention and meaning.

Your life and journey here have a deeper purpose behind them.  There is meaning behind each relationship, each event, and every circumstance you encounter!

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 ESV

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10 ESV

“Everything has already been decided.  It was known long ago what each person would be. So, there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.” – Ecclesiastes 6:10 NLT

Trust God with all that unfolds in your life – knowing with certainty that ALL of it, both good and bad, are part of a much deeper purpose and destiny for you!  Embrace the miracle of life and the sovereignty of our God – finding the peace that comes with understanding this truth.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

WAITING FOR PEACE VERSUS PURSUEING IT

Peace isn’t something that comes to us one day down the road – when the circumstances and events in our lives perfectly align with our dreams and desires.  Too many of us make the determination that we will be happy when we finally find the perfect job, when our spouses change, or when the weekend arrives 😊 

We unwittingly allow “someday” to steal our peace today!

Like Buddha mentions above, happiness isn’t a certain path we take. It is the path!  This means that we must find it, pursue it, and run after it every day as David suggests in his written psalm.

We pursue peace in our lives when we decide to “let go and let God” versus anxiously worry about what might happen tomorrow.  We pursue it when we forgive others versus hanging on to our assumptions about them.  We run after it in our lives when we accept God’s grace for us versus living in regret and shame each day.

We track it down when we stop looking at all that seems to be going wrong and choose instead to be grateful – placing our focus on all that is right and good within our lives.

“There is no path to happiness:  Happiness is the path.” – Buddha

Can you see how we must purposefully CHOOSE to run after peace – to pursue it with intention every day?  When we do, happiness will become our path 😊

May God help each of us catch the hidden thieves of peace in our lives!  My prayer is that you chose to run after it – pursuing it regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in right now.

God bless!