Peace with others.

WEEK FOUR

DAY SEVENTEEN

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9

Looking God in the face and allowing Him to search us will always reveal our sin. Having this wrestle in your own heart and truly seeing your mistakes is tough, and it can become a place of shame OR a place of repentance.

Repentance starts with our own confession, but the beauty of repentance is in the scripture above–God purifies us! He takes the sin which became wrong thinking, and He begins restoring us with truth. We stop trying to force others to “come to our side” in order to receive our love or even our respect. The restoration from repentance in our heart takes time, but we must begin here in order to see true reconciliation with others.

There isn’t a formula for a repentance prayer. Be honest with God. Tell Him where you have messed up and allow him to purify your thinking and help you to start afresh in your relationships.

LET’S PRAY

1.) Repent. Yesterday, did God reveal an area where you need to repent? What lie have you believed that has led to that sin, and what is the truth?

2.) The way you view others matters. Ask God to show you something He loves about the person, people, or even group (political, race, gender, etc) that you have had conflict with–write it down. How does this differ from the way you see these people?

3.) Memorize. Ask God for a scripture to memorize that will help you renew your mind in this particular area of your life.

Peace with others.

WEEK FOUR

Anyone else feeling a bit overwhelmed by all God showed you the first three weeks? We are digging up stuff from the past, re-evaluating the truth of our present, and dreaming for a peace-filled future. Why do we do this? There are many reasons, but one is so we can bring the peace we have inside to the other people around us. Being a peacemaker must extend past our own heart and into the lives of others.

When pursuing peace with others, we must go further.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Romans 12:17-19

This can be difficult in a season of disputing. We feel justified in defending ourselves and making a solid case for what we believe to be the truth. There is a time to stand for what God yes, absolutely, but there is also a time to show more love than logic. We do not respond to evil with evil– we respond with love. We don’t walk away after a rift in friendship– we do everything in our power to bring about peace.

This week is about reaching outside our own wants, pride, and comfort zones to bring people the peace of Jesus… whether we like it or not.

DAY SIXTEEN

“Search me, God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV

Does anyone else’s voice trail off as you pray those words? Allowing God to look into our most vulnerable places is humbling and a bit terrifying. The real fear is what exactly He will reveal when we allow him to search that deep. When it comes to our relationships, it begs the question, “Have I been blaming others for the turmoil in my life when the fault was mine all along?”

In other translations “offensive way” is translated as “wicked way” and “path of pain.” Sometimes we allow our bitterness to become offense towards others (whether it be a person or group of people). We filter everything we say and do through that offense. We find ourselves angry, prideful and resentful–walking a path of pain. This isn’t what God intended our relationships to look like and, honestly, it’s exhausting.

It can be painful to dig out sin, but it is much more painful to allow it to continue growing in your heart. Let’s allow God to go deep today and remove the wicked ways in us, so that we can fulfill our purpose to love God and love others.

LET’S PRAY

1.) Pray Psalm 139:23-24 out loud, inviting God to search your heart.

2.) Ask God, “What expectations do I had that were not met by others? How has this led me to grow bitter and build up offense in my life?”

3.) Next steps. Do you need to apologize for your behavior toward someone? Write out what you need to say.

Peace in Me.

WEEK THREE

DAY FIFTEEN

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8

Let’s get these thoughts of comparison out of our heads and onto paper! It can be hard to admit out loud where we struggle. We may not even realize we are struggling in that area until we open ourself up to this type of confession! We are challenged by the Bible to “think on lovely things” but all these competitive thoughts swirling in our minds steal our peace. If we can train our minds, we can salvage our sanity!

Knowing the cause of our comparison or competition can help stop the inner battle before it starts. Someone who is trying to cut back on unhealthy eating habits probably shouldn’t go sit in their favorite fast food location to work, right? That’s just asking for failure! What is it that disrupts your peace? This could be following specific people you follow on Facebook, going on playdates with a particular mom, or watching a certain reality t.v. show. Let’s get a handle on our choices so we can face next week prepared to bring peace to others!

LET’S PRAY

1.) Write out the all areas you find yourself comparing negatively (jealousy/envy) and positively (pride/conceit). Now look at those areas (body image, material possessions, behaviors, talents, etc) and find scripture that speaks helps reshape your thought patterns.

2.) Read through 1 Corinthians 12:112-27. As you read about the church body, think of how you uniquely fit into that. What special gifts and talents do you bring to serve others?

3.) Write down the things you do, follow, watch, read, or places you go that cause you to compare and compete. Pray about which of these things you need to give up. Start with giving it up for the weekend.

Peace in Me

WEEK THREE

DAY FOURTEEN

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.“

Philippians 4:12-13

The opposite of comparison and competition is contentment. Being content brings peace to our circumstances. Peace doesn’t always feel easy! The Holy Spirit gives us strength to endure no matter what we lack (or what we have in excess). He enables us to bring peace in chaotic situations. Paul understood well that true peace, the kind that surpasses all understanding, comes from God. When we live for an audience of One, we always find contentment.

So does this mean we never need to work hard again? I want to make sure you hear my heart: Contentment is not the same as complacency. Contentment isn’t sitting silently on the sidelines. We can still wait actively by furthering our relationship and drawing closer to God. We can be content in any circumstances. We have to choose God over comparison.

LET’S PRAY

1.) Think of times in your life when you experienced true peace. Was God your focus? If not, what brought about your peace?

2.) Thank God for the moments of peace He has given you. Repent of times you let chaos take over.

3.) Listen. Sit in the presence of God while playing this song and journal what you hear. What did God say to you during that song? Did He reveal new truth you haven’t heard before? Did He heal a broken piece of your heart? Don’t leave this moment quickly…