Romans 12:18 says: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." vs 16 "Live in harmony with one another."
All of Romans 12 has been figuring largely in my life this season. It seems to pop up all over the place, in a sermon, as devotions before a meeting, and in devotions at home. Occasionally that happens...this pattern....and I always interpret that as God's way of showing me something I need to hear, something to pay attention to. It's so cool when that happens, and often very convicting.
Living at peace with others, as much as it depends on you.... This is something to strive for, and would lead to a Utopian society if we all carried it out successfully. I have trouble reconciling with the reality where one person works so hard at peace and the next person wreaks havoc just getting out of bed in the morning. How can a person strive to live at peace with one individual but decide not to live at peace with a different individual? To me that's not living at peace with everyone. I don't get that! I can't stand it when I don't understand things!! But I have learned that when there are things I don't understand, I have to surrender them to God.
What about the peace in your heart? Living at peace with others doesn't always create peace within. For myself, the peace of my heart depends fully on focusing the eyes of my heart on God. When my path follows God's will it is amazing how quietly and simply the peace follows. A lesson so often learned the hard way, when all along it is the easier way. Some people are hard to love, and it takes a lot out of you, but when you love them because God calls you to love them(never mind liking them!) you ultimately have peace, in you and around you.
So much talk of peace, so many individual opinions of how to get "there"...when really all it boils down to is two simple things: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. .... and Love your neighbour as yourself. Matthew 22:37 & 39
Peace out....
1 comment:
Very well said. And isn't it hard living that way sometimes. But you are right, when we leave that with God, we will have peace in our heart.
Not always as easy to do then to say.
May God grant you peace. Hope you guys are all doing well Tetcy, I'll give you a call soon.
Love, Randall
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