And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, ESV)
Living in California, I am fortunate to have several courses nearby that host PGA and LPGA tournaments. We have another this week: the US Open at Torrey Pines, near San Diego. With 7,700 yards of relentless demands, this monster will tell us for sure which guys are good!
No one knows for sure who will win this year. However, we do know that whoever figures out how to navigate the winds, the undulating greens, the deep rough, and that tricky kikuyu, will have to remain calm under the immense competitive pressure of a major.
We will witness some mental lapses, bad bounces, and very difficult lies. They will all certainly find themselves in a very difficult spot or with a very tricky little putt from time to time. But who will be able to find that find inner peace when the inevitable happens?
Some players seem to be much better at remaining calm than others. How do the professionals do it?
From my observations, those who successfully remain calm have several common characteristics. They all have a routine. They also have visual cues that help them when their mind wanders. The best can visualize success, handle anxiety well, and they expect the unexpected.
Thank God in advance for the outcome he has ordained for the circumstances you will encounter today.
Spiritually speaking, I believe we can follow that same blueprint in our daily lives. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Most Hebrew words go beyond their spoken pronunciation. They convey emotion and intent. While shalom can be used as hello or goodbye, speakers of Hebrew know the word goes beyond a simple greeting. It refers to wholeness, tranquility, and well-being—to a supernatural peace that can only come from God himself.
There is no formula or one way for every believer to find this kind of peace. Nonetheless, there are certain things we can do to help us remain calm when the trials and storms of life happen. What follows is not a “five ways to achieve inner peace” list. Yet, I have found each item personally helpful and suggest you practice them if you desire to have the kind of peace that only God can give us.
Routine. Start your day by reading a chapter or two in the Bible and perhaps a devotional like this one to get your mind focused on the one true God. I’ve never met anyone who has said, “I wish I hadn’t read my Bible this morning.” God has spoken and it’s written down. We need to read what he said.
Visual Cues. Place things in your environment to remind you of how much God loves you. We have a few Scripture verses and pictures that do that in our home. Even something as simple as putting a cross on your golf ball can help you refocus.
Imagine success. What would the best outcome look like for the circumstance where you find yourself? What would God want the outcome to be? Stop for a moment and imagine that, then thank God in advance for the outcome he has ordained for the circumstances you will encounter today.
Handling anxiety. A wise man said to me many years ago to “rest in the tension.” It seemed like a strange idea, but we all face stress. Paul told the Philippians not to be anxious about anything. When we find that we are, we should acknowledge our feelings, pray, and realize we have control over how we deal with it.
Expect the unexpected. Plan for the best but remember you can’t control everything. We should expect a few things to happen differently each day than we had planned. When they do, remember God is in control, refocus, move into it the best you can, and trust him with the outcome.
There is only one source of shalom. Namely, God himself. Ask him to help you find it today.
—
Marty Jacobus
June 16, 2021
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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