It doesn’t matter if it is a moment of time or an hour or a day or more, dealing with feelings about people is something we do on a regular basis.  I want to show you “How To Have Inner Peace When Drama Abounds.“

I remember the day that I was in college and found out that 3 girls snuck into my dorm room and searched through my bag to find “incriminating evidence.”  You see, one of those girls really liked a boy and he was interested in me.  Can you see where this is going? And then all of a sudden nobody liked me: at least that is how it felt.

I could go into the nitty gritty details, but the details don’t matter.  I will tell you this, I did not end up marrying that guy and that shows you how important those “guy fights” are.   It doesn’t matter the situation; it just really stinks when people hurt us.  It really stinks when you want to go to sleep, but you lay in bed replaying what you wish you could do and say to those people. 

But something I learned recently is this; doing and saying those things may not make things better and the only reason we want to say them is to make us feel better.  But what if you can feel better regardless of your situation?

TIP # ONE – INNER PEACE COMES FROM WITHIN

I know that seems pretty crazy, but if there is one thing I have learned it is that we have to learn how to deal with our own feelings, because other people may never change.  Not only will people not change, but sometimes they won’t even acknowledge that they have an issue.  Even worse, sometimes they feel like the way they operate is actually right and they will defend what they are doing.  If you are counting on “them” in any way for YOU to get inner peace, you can pretty much kiss inner peace goodbye.  “Goodbye, inner peace.  It was nice dreaming about you.”

Inner peace has to do with one thing and one thing alone … how you deal with your own emotions.  It’s all on you my fellow deep thinker.  Your drama is your own fault, and aren’t we learning about “How To Have Inner Peace When Drama Abounds?”  So, own it, because you can deal with what you own, and that is a good thing.

TIP # TWO – YOU DEAL WITH ANNOYING PEOPLE BY PUTTING THEIR NEEDS ABOVE YOUR OWN

WHAT?!?!?!?!  Am I the only person that that makes angry?  But seriously, aren’t we supposed to be like Christ?  And isn’t it true that He served and served and served others?  Outside of setting aside time to get alone for prayer, He pretty much spent His days in service to others.  If you look at the story of the the ten lepers, only one came back to thank Him.  Another time He healed someone and asked them to tell no one, but did that guy listen?  Nope!  

So, here is Jesus serving until He has no time to rest and people aren’t listening to Him and they aren’t thankful … and still … He doesn’t stop.  Why?

Phil. 2:7 – 8, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

He did it out of obedience to the Father.  He humbled himself because of a greater good.  He did not even care what people thought about Him.  He did not seek praise or recognition.  He served because he followed verse three of the same passage.  He knew that to be a servant He would have to esteem other’s better than Himself.

Phil 2:3, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

How surreal is that?  God esteemed sinners as better than Himself, but if you are serious about “How To Have Inner Peace When Drama Abounds” than you have to put the needs of annoying people above your own.  That’s pretty hard, because they’re annoying.  Be the kind of girl that grows alongside of people by building them up; not tearing them down.

But how?

TIP # THREE – TRUST GOD

Isn’t that what Jesus had to do?  Didn’t He labor in prayer because He wished there was another way?  Didn’t He cry?  Didn’t He suffer?  Didn’t He ask others to pray for Him?  Didn’t He ultimately obey, even unto death.

We have to die to self.  Now, I am not saying that when needed we can’t practice James 3:17 and the principles of “How To Rebuke Sin With Grace” but most of the time we are annoyed because people or situations are inconveniencing our own immediate wants and comforts.  Most of the time, we need to obey the Father and say, “I will esteem this person’s needs as greater than my own.”  “I will do nothing through strife or vainglory.”  I will just shut up.  Right?  Wouldn’t so much be better if we would just keep our mouths closed?

And then, this is the MOST important part; PRAY.

We do need to talk, but usually not to the annoying people.  How do we think we will ever be like Christ if we think we can do it in our own power?  If Jesus couldn’t do all that service and obedience without taking time alone to labor about His situation in prayer, are we then better and more powerful that Christ?

I personally journal my prayers to God.  I sit down and say, “Dear God …” and then write as if I am talking to Him face to face.  I ramble.  I get distracted.  I get lost in my thoughts.  I tell Him stuff that seems silly or insignificant, but HE CARES.  As I pray, and as I tell Him my fears and my frustrations and my annoyances, He calms me, and that my friend is inner peace.

You find inner peace when God calms you, and God calms you when you “take it to the Lord in prayer.”  I often think, “Oh what peace we often forfeit.  Oh what needless pain we bear.  All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.”

And that is “How To Have Inner Peace When Drama Abounds.”

GET INVOLVED

I would love to hear your experiences on how you spend your time in prayer.  Take a picture of your prayer journal and Bible with a quick story on when you have your prayer time and direct message it to me on instagram: AmazinglyDeepThoughts.  I would love to feature ten guest pictures on an upcoming post about prayer.  Or if you are struggling with prayer time, share with me your situation and lets see if I can give you some ideas on that next post.

 Keep on Keepin On!

Melissa