Journal Entry ~ 10/14/18

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14 

Not only does this verse call us to be at peace with everything, but it commands us to take it one step further - we are to work at it. That’s more than just a passive response, that’s more than just biting our tongue or not responding to the text. It’s going after the person or situation in the way God comes after us, and being very intentional about working toward peace. 

I have matured enough in most situations that I can walk away and not engage with a person who is hurting me or angering me, but I still have so much work on the “striving” part. I am called to do good for those who wrong me. Strive for peace even where it’s hardest. How can I do good to someone who has wronged me?  How can I strive for peace with someone who lives their lives in such deep sin that impacts those around them.That's going to take some work. 

I can start by meditating on what Jesus has done for me. Without His great sacrifice and mercy and grace, I would be spending an eternity in hell separated from Him. When I chose evil, He chose good. When I hurt Him, when I turned away from Him, when my life was steeped in sin, He came after me and loved me back to Him. Until I match that kind of love, I have failed at relationships.

I can also pray for and grant forgiveness to the person who wronged me. God call us to forgive as we have been forgiven. Who am I to be so self-righteous that I choose not to grant forgiveness?  And I can get out of the emotion of the moment with the person who is wronging me. Emotions can be crazy things when allowed to respond without any self-control - emotions focus on me and only me in a moment of conflict. It is in these moments I need to capture my thinking and make it obedient to Christ. 

How can we strive for peace? By allowing the person who wronged us witness Jesus Christ move through us and guide our response to the person who has hurt us. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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