A Prayer for More of God’s Peace and Less Stress
By Betsy de Cruz
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” – Romans 8:14-15
On busy days I live more like a stressed-out drill sergeant than a Jesus girl. Instead of going through my tasks with the peace of God, I go into overdrive, as if everything depended on me. I imagine I’m not the only one who occasionally feels anxious about getting everything done.
When our to-do list gets longer than we can handle, it’s easy to lose sight of our Heavenly Father. Our shoulders tense as we try to power through our tasks on our own strength, and then we feel stressed by unfinished work.
Before we know it, we’re living like slaves rather than children of God. In Romans 8:14, Paul reminds us to let the Holy Spirit lead us rather than fall into fear.
Earlier in Romans 8, Paul presents a contrast between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit. Those who walk in the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh; those who walk in the Spirit allow themselves to be led by God as they set their minds on things of the Spirit.
Stop and think for a moment. What does it look like when you walk according to the flesh? Personally, I become more anxious and worried. I fight to take charge of my circumstances, as if solving my problems and getting things done depended on me. I grow more irritable towards others. What happens to you when you walk in the flesh?
What does it look like when we are led by the Spirit? Maybe it looks like more peace, greater trust, and grace to surrender our circumstances to our loving Heavenly Father. We remember God cares for us, and we can look at others with more compassion.
In all situations that may befall us today, we can look to God for guidance and trust He will empower us to accomplish what is truly important. Then we can leave the rest to Him.
What if we stop right now and open our hearts again to the presence of the Holy Spirit? What if we turn our eyes to our Heavenly Father?
We are not slaves to the fear of failure. We are children of God and receive His grace daily through Jesus Christ. We can rest in His sufficiency and let His peace rule in our hearts as we trust His loving plan for all our days. We the promise of God’s goodness and mercy today and forever.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
I know you are always with me, but sometimes I stray from you. I forget the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit, and I struggle to do things on my own. Forgive me for striving to take the reins of control over my life. Teach me your way instead.
Holy Spirit, I invite you to come. Fill my mind and heart with your love, joy, and peace. I receive the gift of your presence in me and with me. Light my path today and show me how to walk in your way of peace. Show me how to live with an attitude of surrender.
Lord, give me discernment, so that I might truly understand your priorities for my day. When interruptions come, give me patience. When other people need help I didn’t expect, empower me to serve them with your love.
Father, I turn my heart to you, and I ask you to lead me through this day.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Betsy de Cruz helps overwhelmed women take small steps to invite more of God’s presence and power into their lives. Connect with Betsy to get your free Quiet Time Renewal Guide and other resources at FaithSpillingOver.com. Her book More of God is a distracted woman’s guide to more meaningful quiet times. After living in the Middle East for 16 years with her husband and two children, Betsy landed in Texas, where she still enjoys drinking chai with friends.
Related Resource: "I AM" - A Lenten Journey with Jesus
When the world feels heavy, clarity isn’t always what we need most. Sometimes what we need is presence. In John 8:12, Jesus doesn’t promise all the answers. He promises Himself: “I am the light of the world.” Light doesn’t show us the entire path—it gives us enough to take the next step. It reminds us that we are not alone in the dark, and that God is present with us even when things feel uncertain. I’m praying this meditation reminds you that Jesus is present—and you don’t have to walk in the dark alone. This week’s guided Scripture meditation is part of my larger Lent series that invites you to slow down, listen, and follow the Light who leads to life.
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Originally published Wednesday, 02 February 2022.
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