December 14

‘Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you: … Let not your heart be troubled.’ – John 14:27

   God’s will is constant. It is unchanging. Conflict is a result of the pursuance of our will over that of God’s. When we let go of our will and adhere to the will of God, living a saintly life becomes easily attainable. The course that our decisions must take becomes obvious and the complexity that we had interjected into situations in the past becomes moot.

   How easy it is to blame God for an unfortunate circumstance. Instead, we must take ownership of our choices which lead to our circumstances. Through accountability, we recognize our shortcomings and can act to change them. We learn the importance of obedience in Christ.

   God does not will us into misfortune and yet not all of our misfortunes are directly our fault. Remember that all misfortune is directly related to the brokenness of our world caused after the Fall of Man. Consequently, there is hurt and injustice in the world over which we have no control.               

   However, we can control our own actions. By choosing to obey God’s law and refusing to usurp His will with our own, we are taking the most proactive stance possible against the pitfalls of a broken Earth.

   Furthermore, obedience to Christ produces peace in us. We can maintain this peace through obedience. When we disobey God, we bring discord into our thoughts and lives. Christ’s peace is replaced by chaos and uncertainty.