You may have opportunities to get worried, go around upset, frustrated or offended. Somebody is not treating you right and there is fear, hunger or shortage in money and lives in your life. God never promised that you would not have challenges and everything will always go smoothly. He said,

“We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient.” (Qur’an, 2:155).

The storms of life come to every person. However, Almighty God did promise that you could have peace in the midst of the storm. Just because you are in a stressful situation does not mean that you have to get stressed out. Just because the medical report was not good or your plans did not work out, it does not mean that you have to be frustrated.

You may be in the storm but the key is: do not let the storm get in you. A boat can be surrounded by water, sailing through a vast ocean, water for miles in every direction but it is not any problem unless the boat starts taking on the water. If the boat starts allowing the ocean in the inside, before long it will sink.

It is the same principle in life. You can have troubles all around you, at the office; people gossiping and playing politics. However, the good news is just like the boat, you do not have to allow what is on the outside to get in the inside just because you are surrounded by a situation that should be frustrating. Do not let the storm get in you and as

Moses said to his people: “Seek help with God, and be patient; for the land is God’s, He will inherit it to whom He pleases of His servants; and the end will be to the righteous.” (Qur’an, 7:128).

God Almighty wants you to be stable, consistent, not moved by any of these things and not be controlled by your circumstances, up when things are up and down when things go down. When you face an adversity, when you hit a tough time, one of the best thing you can do is simply stay calm and keep your peace. When you are in peace, which is a position of power you are saying with your actions: “God I trust you. I know you are still on the throne. This may be difficult but I know you are fighting my battles.” Be like

the ones who the people said (to them): “All the people have gathered against you; so fear them.” That only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

When you are in peace, you are showing God by your actions, that you trust Him and surrendering yourself to Him.

Certainly, whoever submits his will to God and is virtuous, he shall have his reward near his Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Qur’an, 2:112).

That is what it means to stay at rest. Some of you have been on that roller coaster for a long time, allowing your circumstances to determine whether you are going to be happy or not. You need to put your foot down and say, “That is it. From now on I am keeping my peace.”

That not only allows God to work in your life but it is better for your health. You were never created to live uptight, worried and stressed out. That weakens your immune system and it will not fight off diseases, as it should.

All that time you spend worrying you are draining your energy. It is making you weaker and taking your creativity. You do not do your best work when you are worried. You do not make good decisions when you are stressed out. Worry is like a rocking chair.

You are always moving but you are never going anywhere. In the midst of the hectic society you can got to learn to not let the busyness, the frustration and the stress to get on the inside. Know that Almighty God has you in the palm of his hand and so no weapon formed against you, will ever prosper.

God indeed defends those who have faith. (Qur’an, 22:38).

In life, there would be times where it seems like everything is out of control. However, in the midst of that difficulty, there is a place of peace that you can go to. Peace is not the absence of trouble. Real peace is not allowing it on the inside.

Peace is to know that God is right there with you in the midst of the trouble. Make up your mind; you are going to have peace right in the midst of the storm. When you are in peace, God meets you. In life, on the surface, things will always be going on, like waves on the surface of ocean. That is just life. However, deep down in that spirit person you have to have calmness and peace in your spirit. As Qur’an says,

“Look! The hearts find rest in God’s remembrance!” (Qur’an, 13:28).

When you are upset, you are focused on the surface. The problem is you do not control the wind. You cannot control what other people do. The only thing you can control is your own attitude. Life is 10 percent what happen to you and 90 percent how you respond. If you worry all the time, get upset every time, go deeper. The surface is always going to be changing. When you go deep, you know what in the surface is only temporary.

Do not let the storm get in to you. God is in control.

God has full command of His affairs, but most people do not know. (Qur’an, 12:21).

God is with you.

If God helps you, no one can overcome you, but if He forsakes you, who will help you after Him? Therefore, in God let all the faithful put their trust. (Qur’an, 3:160).

Your enemy can do nothing without God’s permission. Satan had to ask permission to test people. He has no authority over people.

Indeed, he does not have any authority over those who have faith and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who make him a partner of God. (Qur’an, 16:99-100).

Almighty God says to Satan:

“Indeed as for My servants you do not have any authority over them, except the perverse who follow you.” (Qur’an, 15:42).

Satan just has the permission to invite people and make them promises.

When the matter is all over, Satan will say, “Indeed God made you a promise that was true and I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your distress calls, neither can you respond to my distress calls.” (Qur’an, 14:22).

God has a hedge of protection around you. Nothing can happen without God’s permission. God will not allow a difficulty unless he has a divine purpose for it. If you will keep your peace you will pass the test and Almighty God will bring you out better than were before. He says,

“Did the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” without being put to the test? While We had tested those before them, so that God would know those who are truthful and so that He would know the liars.” (Qur’an, 29:2-3).

If you can just stay in peace the creator of the universe, the Almighty God, will go to work in your behalf. Nothing can stand against your God. He has all power.

God had granted you victory at Badr1 while you had been the lesser, so revere God that you may be thankful. When you said to the believers: “Is it not enough for you that God would supply you with three thousand of the Angels sent down?” Indeed, if you are patient and are righteous and they come and attack you, He will supply you with five thousand of the Angels battle trained. God did not give this except as good news to you, and so that your hearts may be assured with it. Victory is only from God, the Noble, and the Wise. (Qur’an, 3:123-126).

Whatever you face in life, if you will just hold your peace, remain at rest, God promises he will fight your battles. He will make a way even when you do not see a way. When you have a made up mind that no matter what life deals you, you are going to stay calm and in peace and all the forces of darkness cannot keep you from your destiny.

Be like Joseph (peace be upon him); His brothers betrayed him. They placed him at the bottom of the well. Then the wife of the Governor tried to seduce and solicit him. Then they imprisoned him. However, none of these things moved him. At last, one day he became ruler and said to his brothers about the reason of his prosperity:

For anyone who reveres God and is patient, then God will not waste the reward of the good doers. (Qur’an, 12:90).

Life is too short to live it offended, upset, stressed out, discouraged. Every day is a gift from Almighty God. Before you leave the house you need to make up your mind, “nothing is going to move me today. Nothing is going to upset me. I know that God still is on the throne and if He is for me who dare be against me?” Say,

“I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

Do not flinch. Tap into the deep waters. That is the surface. Be calm and peace that is showing God, you trust him.

When you go to a difficulty and nobody knows anything about it, you still have a smile on your face and you are still being good to people. God is saying “because you endured unflinchingly I am about to turn that situation around.” God says, everything will be fine for you.” God is working behind the scenes so every thing will be fine.

Almighty God feeds the birds of the air. How much more is he going to take care of you? Stay at rest. A new beginning is coming. Everything will be fine. God has you in the palm of his hand. Nothing can snatch you away. The storms of life come to every person, but do not let the storm get in you. Hold your peace. Remain at rest. That is your position of power. When you are at peace the creator of the universe goes to work.

• 1. “Badr”: Name of a war between Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) and polytheists.