By Angela Thomas, Courtesy of HomeLife
I have a girlfriend who has no peace.
She is divorced. Three kids. No job. Never finished college.
Completely dependent on child support and alimony. She lives in a city without extended family.
Both her parents died when she was a teenager. Her house needs repairs she can’t afford. She wants a new pair of jeans, a long vacation, and somebody to love her.
She feels stress. So she takes it out on her teenage kids, and they respond with attitudes that give her more stress. Then she intensifies the pressure, and they disconnect even more. She cries. They feel bad and promise to do better.
For the past six years she has been caught in the undertow of hopelessness, being pulled out into the sea of despair. She has no peace.
Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. The whole idea of Matthew 5:9 is that you would become a peacemaker. But you can’t become a peacemaker until you have become a peace-possessor.
GO TO THE SOURCE
You want to be a peacemaker, but you don’t have peace in your life. You try to get up peaceful every day, and you do OK until somebody speaks to you or one of the kids whacks her brother. You realize instantly that your peace is gone and probably the whole day is going to be without peace.
Jesus also said, Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you (John 14:27). Jesus has peace. He is the only source of real peace. He is ready and willing to pour out His peace to you. To become a person of peace, you have to drag your dehydrated heart into the presence of God and ask Him for His peace.
Stay there, in His presence, through prayer or journaling or reading or singing until your heart is peaceful. Jesus has given you peace. He has made you a peace-possessor.
ACCEPT GOD-PEACE
The peace-possessor can become a peacemaker because she has something to give. The peacemaker knows where the peace comes from. She remembers that she cannot become peaceful on her own.
The person who has become a peacemaker has been given a blessing. She acts like she belongs to the family of God. People see her life and think to themselves, I wish I could have peace like that. I wonder where her peace comes from. God-peace stands out.
TAKE A LOAD OFF
Philippians 4:5-7 says, Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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. (NIV).
So take a load off. Rest a little. Take a deep breath and feel yourself push back from the stress.
Right in the middle of stupid people and crummy circumstances; even if the mountains of your dreams crumble and wash away to the sea; even through trouble and heartache and disappointment. You can have peace. A Jesus-peace. An “I-don’t-know-how-but-I-do-know-Who” kind of peace.
You belong to God. He wants you to look like the family, to be called His child. He’ll give you all you need to become a peacemaker.
This article is adapted from Living Your Life As a Beautiful Offering by Angela Thomas (LifeWay Press).