The Light

Jesus wants us to know how hard it is for the rich to be saved—not because riches are evil, but because they matter far too much to those who have them. When faced with the choice between keeping his riches and following Jesus, the rich ruler in Jesus’ story chose his riches—and so his story is a powerful warning to us. But Jesus also wants us to know that any disciple who makes sacrifices for him does not lose out in the end. 

Is protecting your peace selfish, or is it biblical? When daily demands, stress, conflict, and constant noise leave you feeling exhausted, setting healthy boundaries can feel uncomfortable. But the Bible shows that protecting your peace can be a way to care for your spiritual well-being and reconnect with God. In Luke 5:16, Jesus regularly withdrew to quiet places to pray, demonstrating that even amid a demanding ministry, time alone with the Father mattered. Rather than allowing busyness, fear, or other people’s expectations to control your life, you can follow Jesus’ example by making room for prayer, rest, and a heart grounded in God’s presence.

Highlights

• Discover why protecting your peace is biblical and how Jesus modeled solitude and prayer in Luke 5:16.

• Learn how quiet time with God can restore your spirit, refocus your heart, and help you carry life’s burdens.

• Explore how Jesus sleeping during a storm demonstrates trust in God even when circumstances feel frightening.

• Understand how rest can become an opportunity to exercise faith rather than give in to worry.

• See how Jesus’ silence before false accusations reveals the strength of responding with wisdom instead of reacting in anger.

• Identify healthy boundaries that help you communicate clearly and protect your spiritual and emotional well-being.

• Reflect on practical ways to reconnect with God, surrender your fears, and cultivate peace in stressful seasons.

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

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Full Transcript Below:

3 Reasons "Protecting Your Peace" Isn't Selfish, It's Biblical

By: Lia Girard

Bible Reading:

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

– Luke 5:16, NIV 

“Protecting my peace” is a popular saying these days. Possibly because in a world that’s developing at warp speed, peace feels harder to find, and nearly impossible to guard and honor. Sometimes “I’m protecting my peace” is the only way you and I know how to say, “I’m exhausted and can’t think straight,” or even “I need to figure o

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