Journal Entry ~ 07/18/18

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. - James 3:18

This verse has always caused me pause. It’s message is a bit complicated, so it takes a moment to decipher it’s meaning. After comparing the two types of wisdom, James summarizes the most important information in the passage with his analogy for peace.

Using the agricultural analogy so popular at the time, James reminds us we reap what we sow. If we plant seeds in peace, then we will reap righteousness. Righteousness is doing what’s right in the eyes of our God and Father. It’s living according to His law, and following His counsel in all things. Given our sinful nature, righteousness is not something we can achieve in our strength. On our own, we are simply too self-focused and our efforts lead to self-promotion and self-righteousness. We need the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to truly be righteous in our actions in the eyes of God. It is only when we submit to the Spirit, that our words and our actions glorify Him. 

So how do we achieve this righteousness?  How do we allow the Spirit to do its work in our hearts?  We strive for peace in everything. If our goal is righteousness, then our interactions must be peaceful. A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. We will achieve righteousness if we plant in peace. 

We should consistently be striving for peace. Every interaction we have, every piece of advice we give, every discernment, every decision - the ultimate goal should always, only be for peace. In a world teeming with conflict, we are to be the peacemakers. Our energy and our focus should be on making peace in every area of influence we have. This is what will glorify Him and bring righteousness. 

Personally, I am challenged in a few relationships in my life to always strive for peace. It requires consistently pulling back and reminding myself of the bigger picture, it requires consistent sacrifice and putting the needs of the other before my own, it requires consistent humility and and abundance of mercy and grace, but I have seen His hand at work where I have sown peace despite the pressure toward conflict. When we strive to make peace, we are doing the work of the Kingdom, and He is glorified. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Medical Update ~ 09/27/17

Image
Today was a challenging day.  I met with the oncologist to discuss chemo as part of my treatment plan.  The oncologist explained there were 3 additional invasions discovered during surgery, so there were actually 4 isolated invasions in the breast tissue.  To review - my diagnosis is Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  All 4 of the invasions are HER2+ (aggressive) and hormone negative (recurrent).  My oncologist walked us through the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCM) guidelines for treatment of this type of aggressive, recurrent cancer - chemo and radiation. The good news is God had already moved the mountain in my heart opposing chemo, and rested me in a place of acceptance.  While my initial prayers focused on not having to have chemo as part of my treatment, after hearing I had multiple invasions, He moved me to a place of understanding that chemo is a necessary part of my treatment.  If there were 4 invasions in the sample they took, there co
Read more

My Journey Begins...

I am a believer in Christ, and I have breast cancer.     On August 17, 2017, I was diagnosed with an aggressive (HER2+), recurrent (hormone negative) type of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  At this point, they have not yet staged my cancer because they are waiting for the biopsy results from a suspicious spot in the second breast. The biopsy is scheduled for September 5th, with a lumpectomy to follow on September 7th.  They will formally stage my cancer after they biopsy my lymph nodes, which will be taken during the surgery.  It doesn't make any sense to me that I have a cancer diagnosis - I am a fairly healthy woman who runs 2 miles almost every day and eats a gluten-free, primarily paleo diet, with no family history at all.  But it makes sense to God, and so here I am. Update ~ They found 4 isolated invasions during the lumpectomy.  Due to the nature of my cancer (HER2+ and ER-), the recommended protocol is chemotherapy and radiation.  Beginning in October, my chemotherapy regime
Read more

Grace in Marriage

When we launched our new blog we had no idea if anyone would see it or be helped by it, but we knew that the LORD was prompting us to step out in faith and just do it. The response has been amazing and we are looking forward to how God will use this space for His glory. We have learned over many years of service in a variety of ministries, that God does not require human assistance to realize His plans for individuals, churches, nations, or the human race. But the story of the bible is the story of God’s will playing out through the words and actions of the His children. So…we pray, meditate on his Word, and write from the heart about the truths that mold our faith, guide our actions, and inspire our hearts and minds. Please visit the site and subscribe to continue receiving posts.  https://graceinmarriage.com/ It is our sincere hope that you are blessed by our work here and welcome your input on how we can make Grace in Marriage even better. Thank you for your support.
Read more