the Keys to

Happiness

Week 1 – Peace in a Crazy World

I. The Promise of Peace

Question: What kind of peace is promised to God’s people?

Scriptures: Is. 48:18, John 14:27, Heb. 12:11, II Thes. 3:16, Phil. 4:7

God did not create us to live lives dominated by anxiety and stress. Read the scriptures listed above and make a list of what it says to you about God’s peace. Write a sentence or two of your own, describing the type of peace God promises to us. How does the peace promised by God differ from that promised by the world? Do you believe God can deliver on His promises today?

II. All Your Anxieties

Question: What are the main sources of stress in your life?

Scriptures: Luke 21:34, Matthew 6:31-32, Psalm 88:1-18

We live in a stressed-out world. Stressful circumstances try to crowd in on us, stealing our joy, our peace and even our physical health. Just as we are all different from one another, the things that conspire to “stress us out” are unique to each person. Make a two written lists of things that tend to be sources of anxiety in your life. First, list the sources of stress that most often attack you, then list some of the anxieties that you are facing this week. Pray about them!

III. The Effects of Anxiety

Question: What are the results of unresolved stress in our lives?

Scriptures: Prov. 12:25, Prov. 14:30, Deut. 28:64-67, Ps. 32:3-5, Ps. 38:1-22

It feels bad when we’re overwhelmed with stress, fear and anxiety, but it’s even worse than that. If stress goes unresolved in our lives, it begins to bring about many destructive long-term side effects on our relationships, our work, our emotions, our mental health, and even on our physical bodies. Try to identify the results of the stress in your life. What effects do you see in the italicized areas listed above?

IV. Peace with God

Question: Are you at peace with God today?

Scriptures: II Peter 3:14, Job 22:21-26, Ps. 119:164-165, Rom. 5:1, Micah 2:5-6

While the sources of our stress may sometimes seem complicated, the real problems are often rooted in our spiritual weakness. We cannot experience emotional and physical peace if there is no spiritual peace in our hearts. We must draw near to God continually by meditating, praying and feeding on His word. What goes wrong if we neglect Prayer? Meditation? Bible Study? Confession? Repentance? Obedience?

V. Peace with People

Question: Are you at peace with the people in your life?

Scriptures: Rom. 12:18, Matt. 5:9, Rom. 14:9, I Thes. 5:13, Eph. 4:25-27

Sometimes it is easier to be peaceful about our circumstances than to be at peace with our friends, family and the other people in our lives! People are sinful, unpredictable and impossible to control. What kinds of things tend to damage the peacefulness of our relationships? Who do you have “unpeaceful” feelings toward in your life right now? What can you do today to be a peacemaker?

VI. Peace of Mind

Question: How well do you handle stress in your life?

Scriptures: Phil. 4:4-7, I Peter 5:7, Luke 10:38-42, Luke 21:14

People in our world are drowning in anxiety and stress. They seek to deal with their stress in many different ways, from drugs to “escapist” entertainment. But with all the millions spent on escaping anxiety, everyone still seems to be unhappy and stressed-out. Make a list of the ways that worldly people (and you on your bad days) try to cope with anxiety and pressure. List ways that God wants you to deal with your stress.

VII. One Day at a Time

Question: Are you a worrier?

Scriptures: Mark 4:18-19, Matt. 6:34, I Cor. 10:13, James 4:13-15

It has been said that “most lives have been spent facing a multitude of terrible catastrophes, most of which have never happened.” In other words, we waste time worrying about what might happen tomorrow when we should simply focus on the challenges of today. What are the kind of things you worry about? How does the Lord want you to deal with these challenges? Ignore them? Worry about them? What?