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Thoughts and Prayers for Peace of Mind and Soul

Thoughts and Prayers for Peace of Mind and Soul

Last updated on: October 26, 2026 at 9:08 am by Mark Wilson

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Thoughts and Prayers for Peace of Mind and Soul 2026-10-26T09:08:56-05:00 Mark Wilson

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I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

I’ve been having a lot of Anxiety Lately. I’ve become fearful and stricken with worry. I woke up at 1 in the morning recently and felt scared. Scared of what I’m not sure, but the feeling was just there. My friend from middle school Gabriel Andreason wrote a book on this topic which I just got in the mail. He starts off his book describing anxiety.

Anxiety does not knock. It walks in, takes a seat, and dares you to pretend it is not there. It shows up anywhere and everywhere, in meetings, while you are sitting in traffic, during dinner with your family, and in the quiet moments before sleep when your body should finally be allowed to rest. There is rarely a warning, only the familiar tightening in the chest, the racing mind, and the sense that something is wrong, even when nothing obvious is happening.

On the outside, life keeps moving. You show up, perform, lead conversations, and meet expectations. On the inside, your nervous system stays braced, alert even when there is no immediate danger. Carrying that kind of vigilance can be exhausting, especially when no one else can see it.
UnAnxious (2026) Gabriel Andreason

You can read an interview with him by clicking on his name above.

Perhaps you too have also felt some type of fear or runaway anxious thoughts. So, in order to remedy my worrisome mind, I’ve found some encouraging and uplifting words about peace from Catholic writers and saints for me to think and pray about when I’m feeling anxious, nervous and afraid. I’ve created this list for You and Me.

My Peace Perspective

My perspective on peace is coming from a Catholic/Christian perspective so it will mostly appeal to those who faith in Judeo/Christian God. But if you’re not a believer in God or Christ, if you’re not a churchgoer or non-religious, I welcome you to read this anyway. Perhaps you will find some of these words stir something in your troubled soul. If your hurting, it can’t hurt to look and perhaps find some inspiration.

It’s a little long so you can read the whole thing or skim or skip through and pick out something that jumps out at you.

If faith is not part of your story right now, you are still welcome here. Take what resonates. Leave what does not. Stay curious. There is no need to rush. Some sections may feel familiar. Others may invite you to linger longer than you expected. That is part of learning how to listen differently—how to develop a “flow state” with the Holy Spirit, and how to go deeper within yourself, with Jesus, where transformation is found. –UnAnxious (2026) Gabriel Andreason

There is more to say about peace and ways to go about obtaining it then what is listed here, these are just short reflections on why it is good to have peace and the importance of peace. Seek out other resources and talk to a real human to go further.

If you like this pass it on to someone who might need it and like and subscribe.

Let’s begin our journey.

Dear brothers and sisters, whether we have the gift of faith or feel we lack it, let us open ourselves to peace! Let us welcome it and recognize it, rather than believing it to be impossible and beyond our reach. Peace is more than just a goal; it is a presence and a journey. Even when it is endangered within us and around us, like a small flame threatened by a storm, we must protect it, never forgetting the names and stories of those who have borne witness to it. Peace is a principle that guides and defines our choices. Even in places where only rubble remains, and despair seems inevitable, we still find people who have not forgotten peace. Just as on the evening of Easter Jesus entered the place where his disciples were gathered in fear and discouragement, so too the peace of the risen Christ continues to pass through doors and barriers in the voices and faces of his witnesses. This gift enables us to remember goodness, to recognize it as victorious, to choose it again, and to do so together.
Pope Leo XIV Message of the Holy Father for the 59th World Day of Peace 2026: ( 1st JANUARY 2026)

Before We Get to Peaceful Thoughts

I don’t know what your fear and anxiety is. I don’t know what you’re struggling with, but I do know there is one fear we should all have. One healthy fear. I mention this because it is important and we can’t go on to getting peace without this particular reality that is important for us to know about.

The One Healthy Fear

At the end of our lives, we will be judged. Our eternal destiny will be determined by how we lived our lives. A healthy fear of the Lord (one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit) will keep us on the right track and motivate us to stay close to him. That’s the kind of fear that we all need!

Jesus’ warning isn’t designed to force us to spend every waking moment worrying about going to hell, but it should serve as a wakeup call.
A Worrier’s Guide to Peace | Catholic Answers Magazine Gary Zimak (9/1/2014)

Just Remember the Church teaches that Hell is Real -CCC 1035

Good Grief man, how is this supposed to help with peace? This seems to be the complete opposite of it.

Well, What is Peace?

Peace has been defined as the tranquility of order. Think about that: when we’re at peace, things are properly ordered in our lives; there is harmony. Therefore, when there is disorder in our lives due to sin, we lack peace. A person who is living a double life cannot be at peace. An employer who is cheating his employees cannot be at peace. An employee stealing from his employer cannot be at peace. An unfaithful spouse or an unfaithful priest cannot be at peace. A person consumed by greed or a hunger for power cannot be at peace. A person consumed with envy cannot be at peace. You see, Jesus wants to drive sin out of our lives so that he can “refresh our souls” as Psalm 19 tells us.
What is robbing you of peace? – Where Peter Is – Fr. Michael Najim (March 7, 2021 )

Well, True Peace comes from being right with God. If you’re not right with God, you need to know that you’re not right with God so you can be right with God. Thus, this little reminder in case you just need to know.

“The nearer Christ comes to a heart, the more it becomes conscious of its guilt; it will then either ask for his
mercy and find peace, or else it will turn against Him because it is not yet ready to give up its sinfulness. Thus
He will separate the good from the bad, the wheat from the chaff. Man’s reaction to this Divine Presence will be
the test: either it will call out all the opposition of egotistic natures, or else galvanize them into a regeneration
and a resurrection.” ― Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ
Book of Heaven FJS Quoets

Just remember that

God Wants No One to Go to Hell.

CCC 1058 The Church prays that no one should be lost: “Lord, let me never be parted from you.” If it is
true that no one can save himself, it is also true that God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4),
and that for him “all things are possible” (Mt 19:26).

God wants you to be with Him.
This is right there in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
I don’t know about you but that fills me hope.

O.K. I wanted to get that one reality out of the way and then concentrate on

The Remedy For That Fear
And All Fears.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. -1 John 4:18 –New Revised Standard Version

When we are afraid, Jesus is knocking on our door. And we have two choices: We can worry about our problems, or we can open the door and let him into our lives. One option brings misery; the other brings peace and eternal life: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).
A Worrier’s Guide to Peace | Catholic Answers Magazine – Gary Zimak (9/1/2014)

If Jesus Knocks
Let Him In And
Adopt this as your motto.

Jesus, I Trust in You!

This consoling message is addressed above all to those who, afflicted by a particularly harsh trial or crushed by the weight of the sins they committed, have lost all confidence in life and are tempted to give in to despair. To them the gentle face of Christ is offered; those rays from his heart touch them and shine upon them, warm them, show them the way and fill them with hope. How many souls have been consoled by the prayer “Jesus, I trust in you,” which Providence intimated through Sr. Faustina! This simple act of abandonment to Jesus dispels the thickest clouds and lets a ray of light penetrate every life. Jezu, ufam tobie.-St. Pope John Paul II
‘Jesus, I Trust in You’ | The Divine Mercy

“Let us go forward in peace, our eyes upon heaven,
the only one goal of our labors.”
-St. Therese of Lisieux
Catholic Saint Quotes on Peace – The Little Catholic

“O soul steeped in darkness, do not despair. All is not yet lost. Come and confide in Your God, Who is Love and Mercy.”
-Jesus to St. Faustina
Catholic Saint Quotes on Peace – The Little Catholic

Learn From Mary

“From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!” St. John Paul II
Best Saint Quotes on Mary – Little With Great Love

Let us ask the Virgin Mary, Door of Heaven, to help us cross the threshold of faith and to let her Son transform our life, as he transformed hers to bring everyone the joy of the Gospel.
Angelus, 25 August 2013 POPE FRANCIS (Sunday, 25 August 2013)

Full title: The Virgin in Prayer
Artist: Sassoferrato
Date made: 1640-50
Source: http://www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk/
Contact: [email protected]
Copyright © The National Gallery, London

Where Does Peace Come From?

Peace comes from knowing God loves us. And not just saying we know it, but knowing it in our flesh and bones.

If we acquire peace, then we find that all the good we do pours out, even in the face of great suffering or hardship. The saints aren’t saints because they never sinned; they are saints because they harbored a peace laced with the understanding that they were loved infinitely by God—despite their own sins, sufferings, and temptations. When we accept our smallness with humility, we receive the light of his peace and presence. –Maintaining Inner Peace – Word on Fire –Christopher Hazell (May 16, 2022)

To me, one of the fascinating things about the English language is homonyms—words that sound the same but have a different spelling and meaning. A good example of a homonym phrase is in the saying

“No Jesus, no peace— know Jesus, know peace.”

Besides being a catchphrase for a t-shirt or bumper sticker, this statement reflects a profound biblical truth. In tumultuous times we long for peace, but without Jesus such inner harmony is impossible.
No Jesus, No Peace — Today Daily Devotional – Sergei Sosedkin (March 18, 2023)

Saintly Advice on Peace

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
All things pass away.
God is unchangeable.
Patience gains everything.
He who clings to God wants nothing.
God alone is sufficient.
– Teresa of Avila –
Deeper Christian Quotes

At a moment when simple tasks like grocery shopping and answering the door are stressful, it can be easy to get pulled into a world of concerns. On days like this, we’re fortunate to have a saint we can turn to who offers a peaceful, calming perspective. St. Pio of Pietrelcina, whose feast day is Sept. 23, is quoted as saying,

“Pray, hope, and don’t worry.

Bumper Magnet on Catholic Bard’s Car

Worry is useless.
God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”

‘Pray, hope, and don’t worry’ – Catholic Review
Rita Buettner (September 22, 2020)

St. Padre Pio understood human anxiety. He counseled countless souls burdened by fear, illness, and uncertainty. His advice was not complicated theology — it was direct and practical.

First, pray. Bring everything to God. Nothing is too small or too heavy for His care.

Second, hope. Trust that God is working even when you cannot see it.

And finally, don’t worry. Anxiety does not change outcomes — but trust changes the heart.

In these three steps, Padre Pio offers a path to interior peace rooted in surrender.
Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry – Meaning (St. Padre Pio)

Be Not Afraid

Someone exists who holds in His hands the destiny of this passing world; Someone who holds the keys to death and the netherworld (cf. Rev 1:18); Someone who is the Alpha and the Omega of human history (cf. Rev 22:13) — be it the individual or collective history. And this Someone is Love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8, 16) — Love that became man, Love crucified and risen, Love unceasingly present among men. It is Eucharistic Love … He alone can give the ultimate assurance when He says, ‘Be not afraid!’- St. John Paul II
‘Be Not Afraid’: John Paul II’s Message to a Fearful World – EWTN Great Britain
Regis Martin, October 22, 2026 – National Catholic Register

The popular Catholic hymn “Be Not Afraid” has been included in the hymnals of every Christian denomination, but people might be more likely to sing it in a time of fear or grief than at church.

As a hospice chaplain, I sang this song to many people as they neared death. I sang it through my tears to my own mother on her deathbed in 2013. Thank you. Susan C. Mitchell, BCC-ret ( Catholic board certified chaplain, retired.)

— Susan Mitchell (@chevychasesusan) February 14, 2018

“Be Not Afraid”: The song that eases the biggest transitions in—and out of—life – America Magazine Colleen Dulle (June 14, 2018)

God Wants You To

Be at Peace,

St. Francis de Sales

said: “Go to prayer in faith. Remain there in hope. Go out only in love.” And: “Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, not even if your whole world seems upset. If you find that you have wandered away from the shelter of God, lead your heart back to Him quietly and simply.”

His most famous admonition was to “be at peace.” In the world he lived in, he knew how violent things could get. In the world he lived in, he knew that peace was a much-sought of commodity, a “rare pearl,” as it were; and that laypeople as much as vowed religious were in great need of it. So, St. Francis de Sales admonished the people of his day and of ours, to be at peace. He said:

Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life;
rather look to them with full hope as they arise.
God, whose very own you are, will deliver you from out of them.
He has kept you hitherto, and He will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in his arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same everlasting Father who cares for you today
will take care of you then and everyday.
He will either shield you from suffering, or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination.
The Saint Whose Gentle Words Reported the “Good News” – America Magazine

One good reason to have peace within yourself is so you can give it to others.

Peace Be With You

“You must first have peace in your own soul before you can make peace between other people. Peaceable people accomplish more good than learned people do. Those who are passionate often can turn good into evil and readily believe the worst. But those who are honest and peaceful turn all things to good and are suspicious of no one. … It is no test of virtue to be on good terms with easy-going people, for they are always well liked. And, of course, all of us want to live in peace and prefer those who agree with us. But the real test of virtue and deserving of praise is to live at peace with the perverse, or the aggressive and those who contradict us, for this needs a great grace. … in this mortal life, our peace consists in the humble bearing of suffering and contradictions, not in being free of them, for we cannot live in this world without adversity. Those who can best suffer will enjoy the most peace, for such persons are masters of themselves, lords of the world, with Christ for their friend, and heaven as their reward.”
— Thomas á Kempis, p.72-73
An Excerpt From Imitation of Christ
Morning Offering for October 23, 2026

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum – “the peace of the Lord be always with you.” We hear these words just prior to the Agnus Dei during Holy Mass. Interior peace of soul, a fruit of God’s purifying love, is thus necessary for authentic and lasting peace with our neighbor. St. James touches on this truth in his epistle: “From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members?” (Jam. 4:1). In other words, the root of all conflicts among individuals, families, and nations is ultimately a lack of God’s peace in the soul. If we desire peace in our relationships with others, we must first “let the peace of Christ rejoice in [our own] hearts” (Col. 3:15). Then, and only then, will we be able to love – not only those who love us, but even our enemies, as Our Lord commands (see Matt. 5:43-48)
Joy, Peace, and Patience: Keeping Our Catholic Cool in Tough Times – OnePeterFive –Matt Gaspers (November 3, 2017)

Some Practical Ways to Love Others

Loving others brings peace. Here are some ways to do it.

Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them. Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed against the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander, and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ. – Ephesians 4:29-32
Morning Prayer, Friday, October 23, 2026 · Divine Office

We who are strong in faith should be patient with the scruples of those whose faith is weak; we must not be selfish. Each should please his neighbor so as to do him good by building up his spirit. Thus, in accord with Scripture, Christ did not please himself: “The reproaches they uttered against you fell on me.” Everything written before our time was written for our instruction, that we might derive hope from the lessons of patience and the words of encouragement in the Scriptures. May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the spirit of Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and voice you may glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:1-6
Evening Prayer, Friday, October 23, 2026 · Divine Office

You Can Only Do So Much

Quotes of St. Vincent de Paul

“Blessed be God that you have arrived in good health! Oh! take great care to preserve it for the love of Our Lord and His poor members and be careful not to do too much. It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so that they end up not being able to do anything. The spirit of God urges one gently to do the good that can reasonably be done, so that it may be done perseveringly and for a long time.” Coste, Vol. 1, Letter 109. – To Saint Louise, June 1632, p. 160.

“Our Lord wants us to serve him with common sense, and the opposite is called indiscreet zeal.” Coste, Vol. 1, Letter 85. – To Saint Louise, 12 October 1631, p. 128.

“Although God commands us to love Him with our whole heart and with all our strength, in His goodness He does not however desire that this should go so far as to injure and ruin our health through making all those acts [of excessive zeal to acquire virtue]. No, no, God does not wish us to slay ourselves in that fashion.”

“You will see a great amount of misery that you cannot relieve. God sees it as well and does not want to give those who suffer greater abundance. Share their trials with them; do all you can to provide them with a little assistance and remain at peace.”
On “Balance” – VinFormation

Prayers For Peace

Recently when I felt anxious at work I went to the chapel and knelt down and prayed for some peace. Through the remainer of my shift I actually had some peace. God heard my prayer. He always hears my prayer. And he actually granted me what I asked. I was grateful and amazed. So if you pray for peace God will hear you and grant you some peace. Doesn’t mean it won’t come back or that you won’t have to seek out someone to talk to about your lack of peace, but it will help you along.

Tommy Robinson ��@TRobinsonNewEra (October 26, 2026) Heavenly Father, help me to trust You with the things I cannot change. Give me courage to do what I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and fill me with Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Amen.

Rich Mullins – Hold Me Jesus (Live at FBC)

So hold me Jesus
cause I’m shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace

Lord Jesus, You said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I come to You now with my restless heart. Calm the storms within me, quiet my anxious thoughts, and order my desires according to Your will. Let me find my rest in You alone, for You are my peace. Amen.
12 Powerful Catholic Prayers for Peace (Updated: June 23, 2026)