Proverbs 16:7
When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Sometimes, you have to be the bigger person. I know people who have not spoken to each other in years… and neither one will budge. Honestly, they probably couldn’t even tell you at this point how the stand-off started! And maybe there is someone who refuses to acknowledge or speak to you this very day. What are you doing about it? How are you reacting? Your answers can make all the difference!
Do you believe that God has the power to turn disagreements around… to create friendships among “enemies”? Do you trust God to bring you peace in all situations… even those where the disdain from another is palpable? In this verse from Proverbs, we hear God telling us that those who please Him will find peace… even among their enemies. In other words, those who stay faithful and live a life that pleases God have no reason to feel unsettled. God can turn things around… He can supply peace where none seems possible.
Does this mean that every person with whom you disagree will someday come to you and say, “I’m sorry…I want to be your friend again.”? Will your obedience and faithfulness guarantee that all discord will ultimately be resolved, and everyone will live happily ever after? Not in the way you might think! I do not believe that God promises us that everyone will like us, agree with us, and want to make up and be the best of friends. I don’t believe that He will mend every relationship in the way we may anticipate or desire.
When we serve the Lord and do everything we possibly can to please Him, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God will give us His peace. We will have comfort and confidence in knowing that we did the right thing… that we focused on our relationship with Jesus and kept the Holy Spirit in our hearts… that we listened to His voice and shared His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion with everyone we encountered. Whether the other person chooses to reciprocate is up to him/her… but either way, God will fill us with His peace – and it will be more than enough.
So the question becomes this… “What are you doing on your end?” How are you conducting your life...WHO are you serving and trusting? Are you counting on God to meet your needs and handle your worries and cares while you go about the business of serving Him and following His commandments? Or are you “stirring the pot” in relationships that are less than perfect… then wringing your hands and wondering why things never seem to improve? God’s peace is so near… all you have to do is reach out to Him and surrender your own selfish will. When people’s lives please the LORD, He makes sure that they have peace in all things. Do you have His peace today? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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