When Your Mind Won’t Stop Racing: Finding Peace Through Isaiah 26:3

There are times when peace seems like the one thing that's really hard to find.

Our to-do lists are long and never seem to shrink as we cross things off. We have to make decision after decision. Someone is waiting for an answer from us. The future is not clear. Our minds keep thinking about all the things that could happen. We are experiencing grief, loss, or uncertainty. We may love God and still find ourselves lying awake at night. We think about what we're going to say to people. We think about the risks of saying yes and the risks of saying no. We wonder how everything is going to work out. And the list goes on and on!

Then we stumble upon a verse like Isaiah 26:3. It says: "You will keep him in peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.”

This is not God telling us to act like everything is okay when it is not. It is not God scolding us for feeling overwhelmed. It is God inviting us to think about something very specific here. He is reminding us to think about something steadier than what is happening in and around our lives.

The idea of being "kept in peace" is really powerful. The original Hebrew word here for “keep” is natzar, which means to hide like a fortress. Essentially, it is saying that those who focus on God will be maintained in a state of wholeness by protecting us from what is harmful. I’ve come to learn that it does not mean that our lives will be void of chaos, but rather we will experience his protection in the midst of life’s pain.

I love seeing places in scripture where relational reciprocity is woven in. And Isaiah 26:3 is one of those places. It paints a clear picture of what happens when God and we are in direct relationship. It clearly states that when we keep our minds on Him, it is a sign of our trust in Him, and therefore He shields us like a strong fortress.

I wholeheartedly know that trusting God is not always exciting or easy. It may mean we pray before we do something. It may mean we take one step at a time. It may mean we rest when we feel like we should be working. It may mean we ask for help when we need it. I don’t know exactly what that looks like for your current season. But I do know that having our minds fixed on Him goes hand in hand with peace.

Today, think about what you have been thinking about. Have you been thinking about the things that could happen? Have you been thinking about what other people think? Have you been thinking about finances, relationships, or work? Have you been thinking about the pressure to have all the answers?

We have got to try to think about God instead. You and I both.

We do not have to figure everything out tonight. He already knows what is going to happen. He can give us the peace we need to take that next step.