When Peace Gets Stolen: The Stingray, the Garden, and the Backpack You Never Knew You Were Carrying

Have you ever had a perfect moment interrupted by something totally unexpected? Like standing in the ocean on a beautiful day—and then stepping on a stingray?

Yep. That’ll ruin the vibe real quick.

That’s exactly what happened to me. One moment, I was soaking in the peace and perfection of the ocean, and the next, I was limping out of the water, comparing myself to others, feeling embarrassed and insecure. It wasn’t just a stingray—it was a reminder of how fast peace can disappear.

But what if peace was never meant to be that fragile? What if it wasn’t something we find only on vacation or during “quiet time,” but something already planted deep inside of us?

That’s exactly what the Bible says.

In John 14:27, Jesus says, “My peace I leave you. My peace I give you.” Not peace that we earn. Not peace we chase. Peace that is given.

This message goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve lived in perfect peace—no shame, no fear, no jealousy. They were totally connected to God and to each other. But the moment they disobeyed, it was like stepping on the stingray. Suddenly, fear and shame entered the world, and peace was lost.

Ever since, we’ve all been trying to get back to that peace.

But here’s the truth most people miss: Peace is not a place. Peace is a person.

Jesus didn’t just come to give you good advice or rules to follow. He came to take away the heavy stuff—what the Bible calls “sin,” but what we feel as fear, anger, jealousy, bitterness, and pride. These aren’t just “bad feelings.” They’re weights we weren’t designed to carry.

Imagine wearing a heavy coat in the middle of summer. It’s uncomfortable and exhausting. That’s what living with constant stress and emotional heaviness feels like. But Jesus comes and takes that coat off of you—and gives you a new one: light, freeing, and full of peace.

You may have heard your whole life that “Jesus takes away the sins of the world,” and thought, “That’s great, but I’m not a bad person.” But what if the sin He takes away isn’t just bad actions—but the emotional and spiritual weights we silently carry?

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” That’s not just poetic—it’s real. If you’re tired of carrying fear, pressure, comparison, or anxiety—He wants to carry it for you.

You don’t have to dive deep into theology to get started. In the quiet of your shower, your commute, or your walk—just say, “God, I don’t even know if I believe all of this. But I’m tired. Will You carry this for me?”

That’s how it begins.

You’re not broken. You’re just burdened. And there’s peace already waiting for you—because He is peace.