God calls us to the ministry of peace with ourselves and others. Reading from Romans 12:14, 14:19, 17:17-18, Pastor Elijah Wanje outlined the call, challenge, conduct, and comfort of this command.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him. We have been called to bless and not curse; including those that don’t like us, use us, mistreat us, and even call us names. How can we accomplish this command? It’s impossible by human effort. It’s only possible when we have the Fruit of the Spirit imparted to us by the living God (see Galatians 5:22). God is interested in every detail of our lives and is involved every step of the way.
How then, can we be at peace with all men, when we lack the peace of mind ourselves in these troubled times? We might be harboring feelings of resentment, anger, and bitterness against certain people who have wronged us and caused us immense pain. May we come to God in prayer asking for His grace that will make all these strong feelings yield to His love someday, if not today.
Our perspective about life can also sweep away our peace. Remember a time as a child when you wanted a certain toy so badly that you thought you wouldn’t live without it? Or you had feared something that made the hair at the back of your neck stand straight? Do you still crave for or fear the same things today?
Application:
- Make a list of the things in your life that are denying you peace, but you cannot change.
- Make a list of the things that you are holding on to too tightly that they take away your peace.
- Prayerfully ask yourself, “In light of eternity, does what I am worried about really matter?”
Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen
