You might identify with this couple’s statement because you’re feeling, “If I could only get out of the situation I’m in, that would do it for me. I could be happy. I could do the Lord’s work. I could love other people.”

But the truth of the matter is: God is with us in every situation, and He is with us right where we are! What we need to discover is how to respond appropriately to our current circumstances. You can either have a wonderful time underneath your skin, or a miserable time underneath your skin, and it’s all up to you. The question is: Do you want to experience true peace, or are you more content with being angry, with bearing a grudge, with complaining, with being cranky? The answer to that question requires some personal reflection!

Jesus has offered us a solution to responding to our difficult situations! In Matthew 11:28, He calls us to “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me. I am gentle and humble in My heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

“Come unto Me . . .” Not come with me to the golf course or the gym. Not come and engage with me in a class or some form of recreation. Not “just get busy” with me as we take on planning a party, or a trip or a church event. “Come unto Me!” True contentment and peace is found in HIM!

John 14:27 tells us, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives.” “Not as the world gives” is an important point. There are two kinds of peace: the world’s kind and the Lord’s kind. And it’s important to know the difference between the two. The world’s kind of peace offers exercise and all kinds of facilities where you can work off your tensions and find relaxation. To get your mind off yourself, there are books, radio, TV, and hobbies. And there are fun things to occupy your time, as well as all kinds of relaxation courses and exercises. All these “outlets” can keep you occupied for years, but they ultimately only offer the world’s peace.

The Lord’s kind of peace is a peace that gets into your soul. In John 16:33, Jesus says “These things have I spoken unto you that IN ME you should have peace. In the world you’ll have trouble, but I have overcome the world” [emphasis added]. Jesus is talking about an untroubled heart in a troubled world. Isn’t that what you’re looking for?

God is just waiting to give you that peace. He’s waiting for you to ask Him to give you that peace, to open up your life to Him. Allow Him to change you, and challenge you, and transform your inner reactions to life’s situations.

Read Matthew 11:28, John 14:27, and John 16:33.

Take a step . . .

Find a little time to evaluate your reactions to your current situations.

What is keeping you from experiencing God’s love, joy, and peace?

Are you willing to yield yourself to the Lord?

Are you willing to release the emotions to Him that are affecting your life in a negative way?

Do you truly desire His peace?

Ask God to fill you with His peace and to show you how you can change.

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These indestructibles lived under extreme poverty, and came from very bad home conditions that were located in slum neighborhoods. Yet, they were well-adjusted and good students.

That research got me to thinking of some people I’ve met in my life who fit the description of “indestructibles.”

It is true that we cannot prevent troublesome or sorrowful events from intruding into our lives. But some people live heartily, joyfully and considerately one day at a time. They rely on their power of choice, whether their problems are solved today or not.

My first encounter with an indestructible was when I was a teenager.

The man was one of our next-door neighbors. It was during the height of the Depression. People by the droves were out of work; they were losing their life savings as a result of bank failures and were being evicted from their homes. Suicides were frequent. Nervous breakdowns were common.

My neighbor was a highly skilled (and highly paid) tool-and-die-maker. Suddenly, he was without a job or a paycheck. The best he could do was to get a job with the WPA, a governmental agency which gave menial jobs to as many people as possible. His assignment: dig ditches.

This seemed a terrible thing to me. Imagine this top-flight craftsman digging ditches!

Without complaining, he went to his job every day. At night he returned, his attitude as positive as if he had his old job. One night he got talking enthusiastically about the fine art of digging ditches and how he was enjoying the opportunity of working outdoors and using his strength to accomplish a task. “I’ve never felt better in my life,” he commented.

We boys were so fascinated by his enthusiasm that we went to watch him. Most of the men who worked with him were leaning on their shovels, looking miserable. Not our neighbor. When he saw us, he stopped to take us on a quick tour. He told us how to dig a ditch. Then he showed us his handiwork. His ditches were straight…uniformly deep – with firm sides. “Aren’t they beautiful?” He was proud of his ditches.

One night, he announced that he had been made foreman. He was filled with compassion and pity for his men. They refused to accept their lot in life and spent the day moaning and complaining. Our neighbor now had a new zest for his job––the challenge of lifting his men out of despondency and showing them how to be thankful that they had some work to do.

As I watched this highly skilled craftsman who could find a challenge and satisfaction in anything he did, I realized he had mastered a pivotal principle: it was not the task that was important, but the spirit he brought to that task. He brought an undaunted spirit to every task and experience. As a result, he was happy and successful.

This man had a faith that sustained him. His faith could be summed up in these verses from the Bible:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This is an excerpt of Chapter 1 from Dr. Brandt’s book “I Want Happiness Now!”

Click here  to read more about happiness.

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When we have a relationship with God we are able to respond to the people and the events of our life based on that relationship, not on our circumstances. This is not something that you “crank up” for yourself; it is something you allow God to do through you.

2nd Corinthians 4:8 tells us, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.” Why? Because in the verse right before this one, we read that “We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” God’s power, not ours.

You see the Christian life doesn’t free you from trouble, it doesn’t free you from perplexities, what it does is give you a new spirit as you handle them. That’s what the Christian life is all about! What have you got to worry about if you’ve got the Lord? Bring on the trouble, bring on the perplexities, bring on the persecutions, bring on the rejections. With God you don’t need to fear. Without God, it’s going to be pretty rough. Now you aren’t necessarily walking with God because you went to church all your life, and you are not necessarily walking with God because you associate with people who say they’re Christians. You are walking with God if when trouble comes, you’re not distressed, you’re not in despair, you don’t feel forsaken, and you don’t feel destroyed. That’s the evidence of walking with God!

Often times we approach our difficulties in life saying, “Under the circumstances, who wouldn’t be distressed?” Distress is not of the Lord, it is a failure to depend on Him. That is a tough concept! We do not want to admit that we are not depending on God.

Peace comes from God. And He will put gladness in your heart. And He will keep you from being distressed and in despair. Isn’t that good news? You’ve got to yield to Him day by day. Otherwise, you’re going to be upset and disturbed over all kinds of little things that come your way. When you’re distressed and you’re in despair, and you feel like everything is gone, you’ve got to come to the Lord and admit your distress, and that it is not pleasing to Him. Unless you’re repentant, you’re going to stay that way. “God, I’m wrong, and I’m sorry, and I want to give up this miserable response.”

1st John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (KJV).Without repentance, you’ll continue to feel distressed.  But with repentance you can experience God’s peace in your difficulties!

Take a step . . .

Honestly answer this question: Am I walking in distress, or am I walking hand in hand with God? If necessary, take a few moments to repent of your distress and ask God to fill you with His presence and peace in the midst of your difficulty. Ask Him to continually turn your eyes on Him and His purposes in your situation.

This is a summary of Dr. Brandt’s message Biblical Mental Conditioning.

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