How God Used YWAM To Help Me Find Inner Peace

How God Used YWAM To Help Me Find Inner Peace 

Inner peace – a widely sought after reality, yet one rarely attained. Before we can talk about how to find inner peace, we need to discuss one of its most common enemies: anxiety. Sometimes the causes of anxiety are medical, emotional, psychological, or a combination of all of these. Whatever the individual causes may be, anxiety across all ages and backgrounds has become normal. It is actually uncommon to meet someone who does not have anxiety on a regular basis.

Anxiety, depression, hustle, angst. It’s the norm now…so why isn’t “peace” a buzzword? Why aren’t we talking about the solution more? The thing God promises His children. PEACE. Not the kind the world has to offer. Something far, far better. 

Peace does not mean quiet. Peace does not mean calm. Peace is possible in the darkest, hardest, messiest, most confusing moments or seasons. The Bible says peace is not circumstantial! That’s good news. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”

I believe that there is an overflow of peace available for the everyday believer, a gift simply waiting to be opened and enjoyed. God does not delight in anxiety or His children, nor does He want us to accept it as an everyday reality. I think it grieves His heart. I understand and acknowledge that there are medical reasons why some individuals need medication for imbalances and therapy for real trauma that impacts deep parts of the psyche. 

I do not ignore nor do I disagree that these are real realities that need professional attention. But I am saying that I think that we have become obsessive with this term and accepted it as an impending, unchanging reality when the Lord says DO NOT be anxious. He says DO NOT worry. He commands us to do things that are impossible to us alone. So there must be a power that is greater than the anxiety that we have a choice to claim as our reality. Instead we have thrown our hands up in submission to a hint of anxiety, stress, or worry. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 “He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace…” 

So what does it look like? Philippians 4:6-10 says, “Do not be anxious or worried about ANYTHING but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Implement the things the bible teaches and the God of peace will be with you. 

The Bible is applicable today, and the ways of God work! Peace is a fruit of the spirit as it says in Galatians 5:22, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.” This means abiding in the Holy Spirit leads to true peace. Outside of Him, true peace ceases to exist.  

Youth With A Mission or YWAM has helped me find inner peace through JESUS alone. Inner Peace comes from rest, and rest comes from trust. Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.” We get to trust Jesus, as He is trustworthy. 

Realizing that we don’t have it all under control, no matter how hard we try, we are unable to fix it all, get it all done, please everyone. But Jesus can. During my YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Asheville I was immersed in this concept. YWAM values Jesus, the Bible, and people, and the Bible says that Jesus is the prince of peace and Jesus says in John 14 “Peace I leave with you; My perfect peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”

YWAM’s training programs give safe spaces for young people to grow spiritually and work on accepting the free gift Jesus has given already. A YWAM DTS  is a great place to walk out in peace, instead of anxiety for the first time. The YWAM DTS curriculum is designed to drive students straight into the heart of God, where they will discover true peace for themselves.

Here, you are surrounded by people who are working on the same things and only want to see you succeed in the Lord and experience his supernatural power to live in the world but not in it. We want you to thrive, not just survive. Because we have subconsciously walked out in anxiety and worry most of our lives, we have to give ourselves grace as our brains are actually rewiring. May the Holy Spirit renew our minds.

The world does not teach peace. Honestly, most of our families, even those who claim to follow Jesus, don’t function out of peace on a daily basis. 

But why not? Should it not be if they grew up in a “Christian family”, “grew up in the Church?” The Lord knows we are human and we will struggle and miss the mark often, but if our Prince is one of Peace then shouldn’t his kingdom on earth be so as well, shouldn’t His people exude it? He wants to help us be the peaceful one in a world of chaos.

If you want to expand your experience of peace, learn more about the ways of God, and take the peace of Christ to the nations, join us for our next YWAM DTS! Come as you are, we can’t wait to meet you!