Let Peace Rule
Who or what do you allow to rule your life?
Verse of the Day
“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”
Today’s Devotional
Who or what would you say has ruling authority over your life? If I’m honest, I would say that there is a tug-of-war over who has the authority to rule in my life. On one side there is me (and my selfishness), the world, sin and fear. Sometimes these forces work together, sometimes it is complete chaos pulling in 4 (or more) different directions at the same time. On the other side of the rope is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all working in perfect unison. When I look at it that way, it is very clear Who should always win. But there is a powerful word in today’s verse: “LET”. Who do I let win? Who do I allow to have the power and authority in my life, my mind and my heart?
I’ve always heard that Jesus is a gentleman. He will not force Himself into my life, or into places in my life that I withhold from Him. I must allow access. I must find true humility to allow Jesus full access to all parts of me. That is not always a pleasant process. But it is ALWAYS the pathway to a more abundant life here on this earth.
So how do I let the peace that comes from Christ rule in my heart? For me, it’s a choice. A choice I must make every single day. Sometimes, during times of crisis, struggle or uncertainty, it’s a choice I must make every few minutes. I have to be willing to recognize when my mind is straying into worry, pride or fear, and then redirect my thinking to God’s truth. I have a couple of stand-by verses that I say over and over in my brain. The first is from Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” The second is from Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” These verses speak to me because my instinctual response is frenetic activity or complete inactivity caused by worry. These 2 verses speak to me where I need it most.
We should also note that this peace that we receive from Christ is not for each of us alone. We are to be a body of believers that has peace within our relationships with each other. We are to bear with one another, even when other members of our faith family really annoy us. How do I do that? I have to pray that God grants me the ability to see each person as Jesus does. And then I have to behave accordingly.
Lastly, we are called to gratitude. In my life, nothing changes my attitude and perspective faster than making a list of the things for which I am grateful. And the list is always long. Perhaps, one of the avenues for allowing the peace of Christ to rule in my heart is to remember to be grateful. Because every good thing in my life comes directly from the hand of God.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How and where in your life do you struggle to allow Jesus to be the ruling authority? What are your “go to” verses that calm and recenter your mind? If you don’t have any, it’s time to make that happen. Like, today. Seriously.
How can you allow the peace of Christ to rule in your heart today? How can you be a peace-promoting member of your faith community today? Last, make a LONG gratitude list. Tell Jesus “thank you” for everything good in your life.