Peace and Thanksgiving
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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Col: 3:15)
We live in a world that often produces within us the very opposite of peace. Our stress and busyness is a normal response to the rush and cares of the day. Yet God calls us to something higher. He calls us to peace.
Is peace ruling your heart today? It can. When you and I first believed that Jesus is the Son of God and opened our hearts to receive His forgiveness and power in our lives we were given the gift of God’s peace. Do you recall receiving that peace? It’s a peace that is unexplainable and peace that remains even as life and the news of the day swirl around us.
Yet it’s easy to loose our grasp on that wonderful gift. It’s offered afresh to us every morning as one of His great mercies toward us.
- We need His peace to calm our hearts in challenging days.
- His peace brings health to our minds and our bodies.
- Living with peace in our hearts honors God.
- Our peace helps point others who are looking for peace to God.
His peace is free for the taking. God tells us how. Listen again to the wonderful words of life from His word:
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…”
It sounds like it’s a choice. I can let peace rule or I can let peace get buried at the bottom of all those other responses to life. Just how does one go about letting peace rule the heart? God tells us one of the basic steps to walking in peace. He always gives the “how to” when He asks something of us. Catch the often-overlooked words that this verse ends with: “and be thankful”.
Choosing to look at your day and your circumstances and your life with a heart that is filled with gratitude will open the door to peace. Yes, it’s true.
Life is not perfect anywhere on this planet. There are challenges both large and small that come to each one of us. Each challenge has the potential to rob our peace. Yet as we choose to be thankful to God in the midst of those challenges His peace will begin to rule our hearts.
Yes, it can sound trite especially if you are walking in a deep and challenging place today but the principle is sure. It is foundational to a heart that is ruled with peace. “And be thankful.”
If it feels impossible to be thankful where you stand right now ask God to help you to say “thank you” to Him that He alone can give you peace. Thank Him for His love and His care and His power to lead you today through the maze of your life. He will help you as you choose gratitude today and let peace rule your heart.
Prayer of action:
Father God,
So often my heart finds it easier to see the things that I am not thankful for. Open my eyes and my heart to having a new attitude of gratefulness to You.
Help me today to enter into each part of my day as doing what is in front of me for You and as one representing You. Help me to be keenly aware of all the places today that I can offer You my thanksgiving as I choose this day to LET Your peace rule my heart. Fill my mind with the things You bring to my life: Your strength, Your power, Your help and Your love. Thank you that You will help me choose well what rules my heart today. I choose Your peace. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Questions: What are you thankful for? How can you be more thankful?
6 Responses to “Peace and Thanksgiving”
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Thank you Gail – I so needed to read these words today and bring the peace into my heart and remember to be grateful and thankful for God.
Thanks so much for your encouraging comments.
I too felt the scattered-ness of many agendas this morning.
I like your wording, Angie, of “climbing down from the crazy-ladder of life”. :)
Then I too read my own words here….. “His peace is free for the taking”…… I love how God reminds me of the
things He is teaching me – even through my own devotional written weeks ago. Cool.
He is so patient to keep moving us along the path that He has planned and helping us find our footsteps again and again.
I believe He highlighted this to me this morning not only because I need it but also to share at the retreat I am speaking at this weekend. I love how God directs us even in and through our many agendas. He is amazing!
May each of you be blessed with His continued peace in and through your many agendas today as well.
Warmly,
Gail
Beautiful. As I read this I just sat at my desk and breathed in the Peace of God. Spring can bring so many add’l things to do, and even tho we may enjoy the event or job, it’s still added activity and can end up stressing us out. It’s so good to be reminded that God’s peace is ours, we just have to “let” it in. Thank you for this beautiful devotion. :)
Gail,
Lately I feel like my computer is glued to my hands!
It’s finals week at DTS. I finished one paper yesterday, have another ten-page paper still to do and need to re-write three papers for my Christian Journalism class before tomorrow night.
Saturday is my husband’s birthday and Sunday afternoon, my nine-year old daughter has a piano recital. Sunday is also our 24th wedding anniversary and the following Tuesday, I have double foot surgery. Can you sense my anxious heart?
This is my time to worship God–before the writing begins. After reading your devotional, I have successfully climbed down from the crazy-ladder of my life and entered into a morning of thanks.
You have done a lovely job as His scribe. I’ll return to my time with the Lord, preparing for the writing and week ahead; you have been a help.
May you have the same kind of morning you have given many of us. ~ peace
Such Truth, Gail. Thank you for breaking down this verse and reminding us to let Him into our day and be thankful for that privilege.
Needed this today! Thank you!