​"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
 
We live in a world full of trouble, care and uncertainty. We are easily prone to become anxious and troubled. How can one have peace in the midst of turmoil and chaos? The only way to have peace of mind and of heart is by having God’s peace. The Bible describes God’s peace as “surpassing all understanding” (Phil. 4:7) and “like a river.” (Isaiah 48:18). There are five ways through which we can have God’s peace:
 
1. Through Christ Alone
 
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
 
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
 
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
 
"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation" (Eph. 2:14).
 
"And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near" (Eph. 2:17).
 
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1-2).
 
2. Through the Holy Spirit
 
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" (Gal. 5:22).
 
3. Through Prayer
 
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). 
 
4. Through the Word of God
 
"Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalm 119:165).
 
5. By Meditating and Walking with God
 
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3).

​"Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (John 11:1-6).
 
"God OFTEN delays in answering prayer" as Charles Spurgeon once said.  Indeed that is true. For God has His own reasons for delay. For the longer the delay and the more impossible the situation seems - the more God will be glorified when He answers. One example in scripture of this is found in John 11 about the story of Lazarus and how Jesus raised him from the dead. When Lazarus was sick and his sisters sent for Jesus to come to his aid, Jesus on purpose delayed his departure to see him until his death. This is so "that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). Jesus got more glory in raising Lazarus after his death than if he just healed him while he was sick and many people believed in Him as a result.
 
So be encouraged if God delays answering your prayer! God is up to something. He might make your situation seem impossible and without hope before He answers so that when He answers all the people will be in awe and all will glorify God!