PEACE OUT

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and minds in Christ Jesus.

Ah, the sound of peace.  Can't you just breathe it in?  As the sunsets on another day I can sit back and think about the events of today.  The great times, the awesome laughter, the memories, the conversations about life.  Life for me is peaceful, for the most part.   I cherish peace, I crave peace.  I can't imagine what my life would be like if peace wasn't my mission.  That's right peace is a mission for me.  I wish everyone would strive for the peace.  This world would be a much better place.  There would be no wars, no conflict, no fights, no arguments, no screaming or yelling.  Now you have to admit, that sounds amazing.  But if everyone had the peace I do my best to experience, the news wouldn't have anything bad to report.   Prisons would be empty and lawyers wouldn't have any clients.  

For a lot of years I didn't know what true peace was.  I lived offended.  What people said about me or didn't say about me, would offend me.  What people did or didn't do, would offend me.  I remember many years ago a group of friends would get together for a girls night out.  Well I never got invited.  I was so deeply offended that I became very angry at them.  (Yes this is true.)  I probably said some things I shouldn't have, which I deeply regret now, but I was offended.  Well they got word and apologized.  The next time they got together I was invited.  I was so excited.  By the end of the evening, I realized that I really didn't want to go out with them again.  Going out to bars drinking was not my thing, making fun of people was not my thing, complaining about my husband and gossiping about everyone was not my idea of a good time out.  

I realized after that night out that God had me right where He wanted me.  Home with my husband and babies.  So while I was all offended and bitter, God was trying to teach me a very valuable lesson, He had better plan for me.   He wanted me to find true peace and joy. I cannot imagine now what it would be like to live as offended as I was.  To live in turmoil and chaos, filled with anger and bitterness is not any way for me to live.  Oh trust me I fall off the wagon and get offended, but God speaks to me through His Word and I let it go.  Like Elsa says, "Let it go!  Let it go!"  Ah come on I know you're singing along with me.  

Anyway, when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, that is one of the first times I truly experienced real peace.  This peace I have experienced is not the normal type of peace we humans think of.  This peace is a peace that is so deep and so profound that I don't understand it and cannot explain it.  

There are times when life throws me a curve ball, you know one of those moments when you sit back and say, "Really God?"  That is when I get so tempted to throw in the peace towel and get offended and angry and bitter.  It is so hard to keep my mouth shut, but God whispers to me "Don't open your mouth!"  So instead I close my eyes and pray silently for God to keep a watch over my mouth so I do not sin against Him.   At those moments when I close my eyes in the midst of a conversation or argument, I am praying and I am listening to the truth of God.  

God's truth changed me.  When ever I feel offended, I do my best to look in the mirror and say "What is there in me that I need to change?"  "Why do I feel this way?"  I have stopped blaming others for making me angry, bitter and offended and I look in the mirror.  Because truth be told, we can control our moods, our feelings, our emotions and our attitudes.  Too often we just refuse to do it.  We also don't want to admit we're at fault.  It way easier to blame someone else.

My life has been a series of choices that include be honest with myself.  As painful as that has been, it has been the most life changing.  When I got real about me and let God deal with me and when I allowed Him to change me, that is when I experienced His peace.  His peace has invaded me like a sunset.  He peace is still changing me and transforming me.  Day by day, bit by bit, little by little His life changing peace is working in me.  It's not easy, trust me, but the pain and reality of who I really am has helped me to grow.  

Listen people, the enemy wants us to live our life offended and bitter and angry.  He loves it when we confront those who have hurt us.  He wants us to yell and scream at people we love.  He wants us to shut others out of our life.  He want to steal our joy, kill our peace and destroy relationships.  Nothing makes him happier.  So we have a choice to make.  We can live the way the enemy wants us to, or we can live the way God wants us too.

PEACE, JOY AND HAPPINESS

OR 

OFFENDED, BITTER AND ANGRY.

Which do you choose?