The foundation verse of this post is found in Psalm 34:14 … Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. As I began to mediate on how to expand on seeking & pursuing peace, I realize there are two broad areas where individuals are lacking peace. There is a lack of peace with others, and there is a lack of inner peace.
Peace with others
Peace is an integral part of the Christian walk. In regards to having peace with others – it can be rather challenging. Individuals have the potential to hurt us with their words and actions. Even when that happens, God asks us to seek & pursue peace. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). This means that even when someone has “wronged” you – you must still seek peace. You have to be fine with the apologies you never received. Forgive and go in peace!
It is so easy for us to attempt to seek revenge, but we know the vengeance is the Lord’s to repay. We cannot repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because you will inherit a blessing. We must seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:9-11). Do not pay back wrong for wrong, instead strive to do what is good to everyone. Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Do not go tit for tat, put up hateful posts on your social media or engage in back and forth arguments with others. That doesn’t reflect Christ. In those situations where you are being antagonized simply remove yourself in order to keep your peace.
Please note that forgiveness is the key to peace with others, however, forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation. There will be times when you cannot reconcile with someone because the trust has been broken. These incidents can include slander, rape, molestation, accusations etc You may not be reconciled with the person, but you can forgive them and be at peace. There are instances where we are not forgiving those who have passed away. You cannot reconcile with those who have deceased, but you can forgive and be at peace.
You will know if someone is at peace and/or is pursuing peace by their actions and by their fruit. Those who are known for rivalries, cursing and arguments are not at peace within themselves, therefore, cannot be at peace with others. Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Inner Peace
There are some out there who can easily forgive others and be at peace with other …. but cannot extend the same courtesy to themselves. At times we are our harshest critics. We are holding on to the fact that we made wrong decisions, wrong turns and holding on to hurts from the past.
My prayer is that you will find inner peace. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. If you keep your trust in God, no matter what you face you will know that He is able to fix all the wrongs. When we are not at peace we are carrying a heavy burden around daily. I love Matthew 11:28-30which says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
When we give it all to God, we will truly be at peace. You are not at peace because you are still holding onto it. LET IT GO! As we always say “Let Go, Let God” …. Truly LET GO! Let go of what dad or mom, sister, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend did. You have to find peace within. Individuals may not always come to you and apologize – you must find peace within.
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. As I have several times throughout my blog, prayer is a major key. When you are struggling with peace within, you must pray. Seek God through fasting and prayer. Inner peace is a struggle only because you are dealing with inner demons.
To close –I will share one way I judge if I am at peace. Every month my church takes part of communion. If I have any hesitation on whether or not I should participate – that means I am not at peace. It may be an issue of sin or an issue with a person. Keep in mind, the act of taking communion doesn’t make you holy or a better Christian. The main thing is to realize that whatever keeps you from taking communion can keep you from going to heaven.
I leave you with this verse, Romans 15:13, which states: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
P.S. After certain things line up in place I will revisit this topic. More to come!
For His Glory Only,
XOXO
Danielle J.
