Chapter Six

This Stress Is Killing Me!

Give me peace.

Starting Off:	To Memorize: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you . (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)  Why is peace so hard to find? Maybe because we suppose it's a state of mind “achieved” by practice, or that it's dependent on circumstances. Both concepts fail us, however, because they don't account for God's role in the peace process. People who ride life's emotional roller coaster peacefully do it because of faith. Real, inner peace goes beyond emotions; it comes from focusing on God. It's utterly futile to search for it without including him in the equation. Jesus said, “ I leave you peace. . . . My peace I give to you.” That's infinitely better than any peace we can drum up for ourselves.   God will answer this prayer, but His peace is not some divine anesthesia that covers problems or sins that need to be fixed. Instead, God is going to help you restructure, rearrange, and rebuild your life so it fits into His perfect plan. Then , instead of struggling with frustration and disappointment, you'll experience the peace that comes from being who you were always meant to be and living as you were always meant to live.   Finding peace within ourselves without finding peace with God is impossible. Without him we won't have the peace that takes us unshaken through life's physical and emotional earthquakes. We need the peace of faith that knows God is there, walking alongside, whispering, Trust me; I have a plan and you are going to be okay. Just keep on going. The requirements for peace depend upon “being right” with God. That means: Confession of sin so we can start over (and over) without negative baggage. Forgiveness of others that frees us from the ugly stress of resentment. Then we're ready for God to move in our lives and bring peace into our chaos. So, let's begin by…
Reconnecting:	Think over your time since the last session. As you have continued to ask God to give you divine strength to resist temptation, what have you experienced? If you've asked him to help you forgive all those people who are so hard to forgive, what has happened? Without naming specific incidents or people, can you share these answers to prayer with the Group? Have you read the sixth chapter, Give Me Peace, and answered the questions in the Study Guide? Then it's time to…
Talk About This:	•  Why is peace so hard for people to find? (Page 94, 95) •  As you pray this prayer for peace of mind, do you think the answer might require anything on your part? What? What will you do about it? •  Anthony says that deep, inner peace is being “right with God.” What does he mean by that? (Page 99) •  If God wants to help you relieve your stress by reevaluating your priorities, what changes do you think He might make? What might then be at the top of your personal “To Do” list? •  Name some physical factors that may be causing you stress. What can you do about them? (Page 102) Anthony says: It may just be that God tells you to stop worrying! Christ says, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” God never commands us to do anything unless He also gives us the power to carry that command out. •  What do you need to do to receive that power from God? Will you practice it? (Page 103) •  Are there any “plastered over” places in your life that may be causing guilt and stress? Something you didn't take care of back in Session Five? What should you do about that? •  What is the “peace that transcends all understanding?” (Page 108)
Action:	In the Group, pray that little prayer together, God, give me peace , right out loud. Then pray a simple prayer, one-on-one, for God to give his peace to your neighbor in the Group. If you're having trouble with any of the peace-blockades Anthony describes in the book, this is a good time to deal with those. Don't be too shy to ask for prayer help or advice from the Group. There may be people there who have already walked through what you're dealing with and can be a real help to you if you're open about your need. This is a good time to pray for peace in your country and in our tumultuous world. Why not stretch out a bit and pray for national and world leaders? They certainly need the peace of God.
Closing Prayer:	Our Father, come to us with Your peace today. By the work of Your Spirit within us, fill us with the faith that is greater than any negative circumstances in our lives. We ask forgiveness for any sins that are creating guilt in our hearts and distance from you. We ask again for wisdom that will help us put our relationship with You at the top of our priority list. Always. Deliver us from selfishness that creates strife in our homes or in our work places. And please, Lord, make us your instruments of peace wherever we go. In Jesus' name. Amen..
Assignment:	Read Chapter 7. Memorize the Scripture. Be ready to share your notes and your answers to the Talk About This section. Be ready to share the answers to the special prayers you've been learning about and praying! Don't forget to keep praying them all.