Finding True Peace Through Trust in God

 

Summary

In the early hours of a particularly dark period in my life, I found myself in desperate need of a grounding truth, something more substantial than the chaos surrounding me. It was during this time that I encountered a profound statement from Dallas Willard's book, "Renovation of the Heart." Willard defines peace as the rest of will that comes from a settled assurance about how things will turn out. This concept of peace, available even amidst turmoil, became a lifeline for me. Peace, as Willard describes, is not passive but an active engagement with good, coupled with the assurance that things will ultimately be well. This assurance is rooted in God, the only one capable of ensuring such outcomes.

The idea that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a state of being that transcends circumstances is transformative. It challenges the common misconception that death equates to peace, emphasizing that true peace is a state of living, not merely existing. Willard further explains that peace involves releasing control over outcomes, a concept illustrated by the analogy of a bowler who, despite having released the ball, continues to contort their body in a futile attempt to influence its path. This futile striving is a metaphor for our own lives, where we often carry burdens not meant for us.

The journey to peace involves accepting our limitations and inadequacies, recognizing that we are not in control, and embracing the gift of life through Christ. This acceptance frees us from the need to justify ourselves before God or others, allowing us to celebrate our inadequacies rather than be burdened by them. Worry, as illustrated by the centipede's dilemma, only exacerbates our problems, leading to a state of hyper-reflection that hinders rather than helps.

Ultimately, the secret to peace lies in being abandoned to God, trusting in His greatness and sovereignty. As we let go of our burdens and concerns, we find freedom in the assurance that God is in control. This peace is not just a mental state but a deep-rooted assurance that permeates our entire being, allowing us to live without the covert state of alarm that plagues so many.

Key Takeaways:

- Peace is an active engagement with good, rooted in the assurance that God is in control of outcomes. It is not merely the absence of conflict but a state of being that transcends circumstances. [02:15]

- True peace is a state of living, not merely existing. It involves releasing control over outcomes and accepting our limitations, recognizing that we are not in control. [03:47]

- Worry and hyper-reflection hinder our ability to experience peace. By focusing on our inadequacies and striving for control, we exacerbate our problems rather than solve them. [07:13]

- The journey to peace involves accepting the gift of life through Christ, freeing us from the need to justify ourselves before God or others. This acceptance allows us to celebrate our inadequacies. [06:45]

- Being abandoned to God is the secret to peace. Trusting in His greatness and sovereignty allows us to let go of our burdens and concerns, finding freedom in the assurance that God is in control. [09:36]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:26] - A Dark Time and a Need for Peace
[02:02] - Dallas Willard's Definition of Peace
[02:34] - Peace Amidst Chaos
[03:06] - Misconceptions About Peace and Death
[03:47] - Releasing Control Over Outcomes
[04:19] - The Bowling Analogy
[05:05] - Levels of Peace
[05:53] - The Burden of Worry
[06:32] - Acceptance and Assurance in Christ
[07:13] - The Centipede's Dilemma
[08:09] - Hyper-Reflection and Its Effects
[09:04] - Finding God in Our Situation
[09:36] - Abandonment to God
[09:54] - The Greatness of God
[10:17] - A Poem of Peace and Assurance

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV): Jesus teaches about not worrying and trusting in God's provision.
- John 14:27 (NIV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does Dallas Willard define peace, and what is its source? [02:15]
2. What analogy does the speaker use to illustrate the futility of trying to control outcomes, and how does it relate to our lives? [04:19]
3. How does the sermon describe the common misconception about peace and death? [03:06]
4. What is the "centipede's dilemma," and how does it relate to the concept of worry discussed in the sermon? [07:13]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of peace as an "active engagement with good" challenge the traditional view of peace as merely the absence of conflict? [02:34]
2. In what ways does releasing control over outcomes lead to a deeper sense of peace, according to the sermon? [03:47]
3. How does the sermon suggest that worry and hyper-reflection can hinder our experience of peace? [07:13]
4. What does it mean to be "abandoned to God," and how does this abandonment lead to peace? [09:36]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you tried to control an outcome in your life. How did it affect your peace, and what could you have done differently to trust in God's control? [04:19]
2. The sermon mentions celebrating our inadequacies. How can you begin to embrace your limitations and see them as opportunities for growth in your faith? [06:45]
3. Identify a specific worry that has been consuming your thoughts. What steps can you take to release this worry to God and trust in His provision? [06:32]
4. How can you actively engage with good in your daily life to cultivate a deeper sense of peace, even amidst chaos? [02:34]
5. Consider the concept of "hyper-reflection" mentioned in the sermon. Are there areas in your life where overthinking is hindering your peace? How can you address this? [08:35]
6. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of God's greatness and sovereignty when you feel overwhelmed by life's burdens? [09:54]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of being "abandoned to God" into your daily routine to experience His peace more fully? [09:36]

Devotional

Day 1: Peace as Active Engagement with Good
Peace is not merely the absence of conflict but an active engagement with good, rooted in the assurance that God is in control of outcomes. This understanding of peace challenges the common misconception that peace is passive or simply the lack of turmoil. Instead, it is a dynamic state of being that transcends circumstances, allowing individuals to remain grounded even amidst chaos. This peace is deeply connected to the belief that God, in His sovereignty, ensures that things will ultimately be well. By actively engaging with good and trusting in God's control, one can experience a profound sense of peace that permeates their entire being. [02:15]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to actively engage with good, trusting that God is in control of the outcomes?


Day 2: Releasing Control Over Outcomes
True peace involves releasing control over outcomes and accepting our limitations, recognizing that we are not in control. This concept is illustrated by the analogy of a bowler who, despite having released the ball, continues to contort their body in a futile attempt to influence its path. This striving for control is a metaphor for our own lives, where we often carry burdens not meant for us. By acknowledging our limitations and inadequacies, we can embrace the gift of life through Christ, freeing ourselves from the need to justify ourselves before God or others. This acceptance allows us to celebrate our inadequacies rather than be burdened by them. [03:47]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you are struggling to release control? How can you begin to trust God with the outcome today?


Day 3: The Burden of Worry
Worry and hyper-reflection hinder our ability to experience peace. By focusing on our inadequacies and striving for control, we exacerbate our problems rather than solve them. The centipede's dilemma illustrates how overthinking can lead to paralysis, preventing us from moving forward. Instead of being consumed by worry, we are called to trust in God's sovereignty and let go of the burdens that weigh us down. This shift in focus allows us to experience the freedom and peace that come from knowing that God is in control. [07:13]

Matthew 6:27 (ESV): "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"

Reflection: Identify a recurring worry in your life. How can you shift your focus from this worry to trusting in God's provision and care?


Day 4: Acceptance and Assurance in Christ
The journey to peace involves accepting the gift of life through Christ, freeing us from the need to justify ourselves before God or others. This acceptance allows us to celebrate our inadequacies, recognizing that we are not in control. By embracing our limitations, we can experience the assurance that comes from knowing that God is in control. This assurance is not just a mental state but a deep-rooted peace that permeates our entire being, allowing us to live without the covert state of alarm that plagues so many. [06:45]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: How can you begin to celebrate your inadequacies today, trusting that God's grace is sufficient for you?


Day 5: Abandonment to God
Being abandoned to God is the secret to peace. Trusting in His greatness and sovereignty allows us to let go of our burdens and concerns, finding freedom in the assurance that God is in control. This abandonment is not a passive resignation but an active trust in God's ability to work all things for good. As we let go of our need to control and strive, we find a deep-rooted peace that transcends our circumstances, allowing us to live with confidence and assurance in God's plan. [09:36]

Psalm 46:10 (ESV): "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Reflection: What is one burden you can let go of today, trusting that God is in control? How can you practice being still and knowing that He is God?

Quotes


Peace, he says, is the rest of will that comes from a settled assurance about how things will turn out. And I read those words over and over and over and over again, and it was such a gift to me to think peace actually is available even in the middle of circumstances that are the opposite of peace that are chaos and fear inducing. [00:02:12]

Peace is always a form of active engagement with good, plus assurance that things will turn out well. You know this throws his back on God because nobody else can do that. The dead are often spoken of as at peace, but they are not at peace. To be dead is not to be peaceful. [00:02:46]

I am no longer striving inwardly or outwardly to save some outcome dear to me, or to avoid one that I reject. I'm no longer striving around outcomes. I have released whatever is at issue and am no longer even putting body English or spin on it or inwardly gritting my teeth. [00:03:38]

I will often think about people bowling in this regard. If you ever watch somebody bowling, they release the ball and then it's the most interesting thing. The ball is out of their hands so there's nothing they can do. You don't have a remote control switch or anything, but they're still contorting their body. [00:04:15]

We were not meant to live carrying the burdens of outcomes. This gets deeply to peace. Of course, everyone is at peace about some things, Dallas writes, one hopes everyone's at peace about some things, but few have peace in general, and fewer still have peace that reaches their body and its automatic responses. [00:04:50]

Peace with God comes only from acceptance of his gift of life in his son. We are then assured of the outcome of our life, and no longer trying to justify ourselves before God or others. We've accepted that we are not righteous or even totally competent, and that we cannot be so on our own. [00:06:31]

We celebrate personal inadequacy. We were not made to worry, and worry actually simply increases all of our problems. There was a poem that was popular well over a hundred years ago called the centipedes dilemma that gets to the problem that worry does, creates in us. The centipede was quite serene. [00:06:59]

Sometimes our problem is not that we don't think, it's that we can't stop thinking, and ultimately ultimately either I will reflect on my situation as it exists apart from God, what will happen to me, what will happen to our world, and then you want to think about are there forces in your life. [00:08:46]

The secret to this piece Dallas writes is as great apprentices of Jesus have known, being abandoned to God. The person who has heartily abandoned to God knows that all shall be well because God is in charge of his or her life. My peace is the greatness of God. [00:09:25]

So take a moment take a deep breath let go of all your burdens all the outcomes all the concerns and let the greatness of God become present to your mind right now as the marsh hen secretly builds on the watery sod, behold, I will build me a nest on the greatness of God. [00:10:01]

I will fly in the greatness of God as the marsh hen flies in the freedom that fills all the space twixt the marsh and the skies by so many roots as the marsh grass sins in the sod, I will heartily lay me a hold on the greatness of God. [00:10:29]

Be rooted, have peace, guard your heart. [00:10:56]

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Transcript
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