Finding Peace in a Vast Universe

8/3/2025

Psalm 8:3–4

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?”

We have been investigating some of the greatest challenges and lessons we encounter as we walk this earth as spiritual beings, made in God’s image, indwelling these human forms. Today I want to touch on an area that affects us all at some point, some more than others. It is contemplating our place in the cosmos and embracing the limits of our control.

As we ponder the immense scale of space and time—a universe around 13.8 billion years old, with billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars, with planets numbering from tens of quintillions to as many as ten septillion, the exact number is unknown and currently beyond our ability to count fully – well, this can stir feelings of wonder, but also make us feel small, vulnerable uncertain, and even overwhelmed by forces beyond our power.

By the way, ten septillion is a 1 followed by 25 zeros. That is a lot of planets, and to think that we are the only one with life is pretty arrogant. I have a feeling that our cosmic spiritual family is much larger than we suspect.

Yet, the Bible and the teachings of Jesus offer us hope, direction, and meaning no matter how wide the expanse or how real our limitations may seem. Even in the face of cosmic wonder, as exhibited by the psalmist’s musings, God’s care for each person is infinite. Jesus reaffirmed this gentle truth in Luke 12:6–7: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. … Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” We are both small and treasured, humble in creation but precious beyond measure to God.

We are told that we are made in God’s image. John 4:24 explains, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” In this passage, Jesus teaches that God’s essential nature is spiritual – not material or bound by physical form. Then in Genesis 2:7 we are told that we are made from dust. “Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

God created a humble physical form from dust, the earth, and breathed His powerful essence, His Spirit, into us. Astrophysicists would add that the dust from which we are created comes from the dust of stars – the atoms of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and other elements – which were originally forged inside ancient stars through nuclear fusion. This dust, or ‘star stuff,’ was scattered through the universe from the stars’ death by supernovae. These particles eventually coalesced to form planets and all living organisms. This was the dust that God used to create us, the material from Creation itself, combined with God’s Spirit.

Our containers may be made of star dust, but we are more than these physical forms. When we move into prayer, it is not this body that is praying. It is God’s Spirit, God’s life-force within us that is reconnecting with its Source. Even as we pray, we are aware of the words, thoughts, and the feelings that we are sharing. By that observation, we know that we are not our thoughts, words, or feelings. If we can watch them, observe them, we are not them. So, we, who we truly are, are the watchers of our thoughts. We are this awareness, this consciousness, which is connected immediately to Christ, through Spirit, that then reconnects with God.

We do not act alone, or experience things alone. We often try to control our lives and outcomes, only to discover that so much is beyond us — much like the weather, illness, the turning of history, or unexpected changes. The Bible invites us to acknowledge our limits and place our trust in God. Jeremiah 10:23 says, “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” In Luke 22:42 Jesus says it this way: “Not my will, but yours be done.” Christ modeled for us this humble surrender, choosing faithfulness over control—even in uncertainty.

Christ within guides us toward a life of gratitude and focus. Rather than leading to despair, realizing our limits can open the door to gratitude. Jesus routinely gave thanks, teaching us to recognize and celebrate God’s gifts in every circumstance: In Matthew 15:36 we read: “Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples…”

Perhaps we can keep a Gratitude Journal. Write down three things each day that we are grateful for. We can start and end the day with thanks. Thank God for everything, challenges included. Let us express thanks to people by verbalizing appreciation to those around us and letting others know how God has used them to enrich our life. Practicing daily gratitude softens the heart, lifts burdens, and opens our souls to proper focus.

What, then, should we focus on? Jesus gives the answer again and again, as Matthew 22:37–39 states: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbor as yourself.’” By investing in choices, connections, and acts of love within our reach, we become partners with God in bringing meaning and blessing into the world. Matthew 6:34 shares the words of Jesus for anxious hearts: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Christ asks us to be present, do good, and trust God with the rest.

The Spirit of God breathed into us wants us to live with humility, courage, and trust in our God who holds the universe, and each of us, in His loving hands. How best do we do that? We start by developing humility through acknowledging our dependence on God. We can consciously acknowledge that all abilities, blessings, and even our breath, are gifts from God. Let us regularly remind ourselves, as Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”

We can seek Christ’s example. He washed the disciples’ feet and served others. We can practice this “down is up” philosophy:  serve without seeking attention, be willing to ask for help, and prefer others above yourself. One of my favorite spiritual teachers is Paramahansa Yogananda, who would say, “You have the right to work but not to the fruits of work.” He taught that our role is to act wisely, selflessly, and with love, while leaving results in the hands of the Divine. It was how Jesus lived.

We can humbly surrender our plans, success, and failures to God, and ask that He remove our pride. James 4:6 tells us, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Instead of resisting or resenting setbacks, delays, criticisms, or corrections, see them as invitations to grow in character and reliance on God. Philippians 2:3-4 guides us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves…”

Let us serve others selflessly. Courage is often found in everyday actions like defending others, helping others, or prioritizing someone else’s needs before our own. Courage grows as we step out in faith to love others as Christ loves us. Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous... for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Courage is usually born in trust.

So let us develop our trust in God. We begin by praying with honesty and surrender. Regularly, let us tell God what worries us, and end our prayers as Jesus did: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” We can consciously release the need to dictate every outcome. Rather, we can practice the discipline of surrender and letting go, and remember that “We are worth more than many sparrows.”

We are of supreme value to God, so let us lean into God’s promises. Jeremiah 29:11 shares, “For I know the plans I have for you... plans to give you hope and a future.”  We can believe that every challenge, even an apparent failure, is an invitation to trust God’s guidance, not a sign of His absence.

Humility, gratitude, courage, and trust grow from intentional daily habits like honest prayer, worship, humble service, gratitude practices, and letting go of control. The more we embrace our smallness, our value, and God’s vast love, the more we will experience peace, joy, and purpose – confident that the same God who holds the universe also holds us.

Our journey on earth is fleeting. We hold onto our bodies, ambitions, and physical possessions for a brief moment in time. We, as a body, as this physical form, will return to dust. This brevity is meant to teach us humility and focus on what matters while we are here. While in these bodies, how much can we give, how much can we serve and help, how much can we love?

But we are more than the dust of our body, and it is my prayer that as we gaze at the stars, or confront the limits of our own power, we remember that we are seen, held, loved, and called by the Divine One. Knowing this brings a powerful peace. Gratitude will always transform our perspective. Trust releases our anxieties. Compassion grounds us in purpose. Like Jesus, let us surrender our will, give thanks in all things, and love boldly, knowing that even our smallest acts of faith ripple out into God’s boundless universe, carried by Spirit, like dust in the wind.