Peace in the Panic

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
— John 14:27 (NRSV)

Life doesn’t always slow down when we need it to. If anything, the most overwhelming seasons seem to come with a relentless to-do list and mounting pressure. If you’ve ever felt like you were running on fumes—mentally, emotionally, spiritually—you are not alone.

There are seasons in my life when I feel highly anxious and spiritually depleted. Ministry can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be heavy with responsibility. Add a calendar full of tasks, people depending on you, and unexpected curveballs, and suddenly, peace feels like a distant dream.

One particular moment from my early days in youth ministry still sticks with me. I was leading a mission trip, responsible for 50 students. We arrived at our location, only to find out that the host site had misunderstood our final communication—they were prepared for 15, not 50.

We didn’t have enough food.
We didn’t have enough housing.
We didn’t even have enough work assignments.

I was panicked. My mind was racing, heart pounding, and I felt a full wave of anxiety hit. What were we going to do? What were these kids’ parents going to say?

That’s when one of my volunteers put a hand on my shoulder and said something simple but powerful:
“Before we do anything, let’s pray.”

I’m ashamed to admit that my first thought was, “How is prayer going to fix this?”
(Yes, I know. Blasphemy.)

But we stopped. We prayed.
And in that moment of pause—peace came.

Nothing about the situation had changed yet, but something in me had. The anxiety didn’t disappear, but it lost its grip. The fear faded enough to let wisdom and creativity surface. Soon after, we got to work, made new arrangements, and the trip ended up being one of the most memorable and impactful I’ve ever led.

Jesus tells us in John 14 that His peace is not like the world’s. The world’s version of peace is circumstantial—found in things going right. Christ’s peace is deeper. It's a calm in the storm, not the absence of it.

When Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” He’s not scolding us—He’s inviting us. Inviting us to receive the gift He’s already offering: a peace that surpasses all understanding.

If today you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or burdened, let me gently remind you of what I have to remind myself often:
Pause. Pray. Breathe.
Let His peace meet you right where you are.

You may not have enough time, energy, or resources to fix it all—but Jesus has enough peace to steady your heart.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church