Chapter 8: We All Want Peace
CHOOSING PRESENCE PP. 95-96
Emphasize that accessing God's peace is a matter of choice and intention.
Summary
This section clears up a common misunderstanding—peace isn’t something random that just happens to us; it’s something we choose. Through practicing presence, you have the power to shift into peace at any moment. It’s about making the intentional decision to slow down, seek stillness, and connect with God’s presence instead of getting caught up in stress or distractions. Peace isn’t out of reach—it’s always there, waiting for you to step into it.
We can’t think our way into the peace of the present moment, but we can and do think our way into anxiety, stress, and worry through compulsive, negative thinking far too often. And when we allow that to happen, inner unease or even chaos lingers within us. It is important to remember that when we make the choice to practice presence, it is calm and peace that lingers within us.
— Choosing Presence, p. 96
A Moment for Reflection
Pause for a moment and reflect on the following three questions:
-
This question helps you reflect on whether you see peace as an intentional choice or something that depends on external circumstances.
-
This encourages self-awareness of the specific mental habits that create stress and provides an opportunity to redirect them.
-
This prompts you to bring the practice of presence into your daily life in a simple, intentional way.
Deepening the Practice: Journal Prompt
It’s easy to believe that peace is something that just happens to us—or that it’s out of reach when life feels stressful. But Choosing Presence reminds us that peace isn’t random; it’s a choice we make. We can’t think our way into peace, but we can think our way into stress, worry, and negativity. When we choose presence, we create space for peace to linger within us, rather than letting anxiety take over. The more we practice this, the more natural it becomes to shift from mental chaos to inner stillness.
Think about a recent moment when you felt anxious or overwhelmed. What thoughts were fueling that feeling? Now, imagine that in that moment, you had consciously chosen to step into presence—pausing, breathing, and letting go of the need to fix or control. How might your experience have changed? Write about one small but intentional way you can remind yourself to choose peace when stress arises.