Week 3 | Day 3 | Pursue Peace

Command:

Be one. John 17:20-23 (NIV)

Read:

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)

Reflect:

In 2020, I struggled as I started to view some of my Christian friends and family members differently. I began to see them through the lens of their emotionally charged social media posts. I saw them as angry, difficult and hard to love rather than seeing them as the loving, generous, kind people of faith that I had known them to be. My first instinct as I read an angry or hateful post would often be to add my comment, but fortunately, as I read the thread of comments, I realized that was not the way to bring light to the conversation. 

In Psalms 34:14 David says to seek peace and pursue it. Jesus calls us to love one another as he loved us (John 13:34). So, I decided the best way for me to personally pursue peace and love others was to try to connect personally with individuals rather than through social media. When possible, I found meeting in person was the best way to connect and restore relationships. It wasn’t instant, but closing my social media account did eventually bring a change within me. I started seeing beauty in others again. It restored peace within my relationships but also within my own heart. Over and over, I find that when I follow Jesus’ ways, thinking the action is on my part, he actually does the healing in my heart.

React:

Do you have a relationship that needs to be restored? Jesus’ way is for us to live in peace with everyone. What action step can you take this week to pursue peace and love others?

Pray:

Father God, forgive me when conflict with others causes me to view them in a negative way. Thank you for designing us each differently. Please help me to see the beauty in our differences and to love others. Show me ways to seek peace and pursue it.