Peace of mind

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me (John 14:1).

What benefit is there to being a Christian? I would say that one huge benefit is having peace of mind.

Many people wonder why they were born. Maybe it seems as if no one really needs you. Maybe it seems as if nothing you do ever turns out right. But Christianity offers reassurance. Jesus loves you; His tremendous love moved Him to die on the cross in order to make sure that you can be His precious friend. Even if no one else cares about you, you are loved greatly by the Son of God. Not only that, our Lord created you; your conception was no accident. You were designed to serve the Lord, and He has given you everything necessary to work effectively for Him. You may not as yet have figured out what your servant skills are, but when you follow Jesus you can be certain that your life has purpose and meaning.

All of us struggle with feelings of guilt. Our lives are filled with bad choices and missed opportunities. We have hurt others by speaking thoughtless words and by keeping silent at the wrong times. But Christianity offers a solution. Jesus gave His life on the cross to make up for your mistakes. The cross of Christ symbolizes forgiveness for the past and healing for today. Jesus awaits your cry for mercy; He wants you to come to Him to be forgiven. And when the Son of God forgives you, you can forgive yourself.

But the place we most need peace of mind is when death shatters our lives. Whether it be the death of a loved one or the specter of your own approaching end, death causes terror as nothing else can. When life ends, what then? When I die, what will happen to me? Where will I be? Will I be happy? Will I suffer? Will I cease to exist altogether? Will I ever see my loved ones again? When death upsets our lives, that is the time when Christianity offers the greatest peace of mind. Jesus died and came back to life. He has shown that He has absolute power over both life and death. He tells us that we should not fear dying because He stands at the threshold, ready to take us to a place where everything is perfect and no one will ever die again.

A Christian’s life is not free from problems, but the peace of mind is priceless.