Strive for Peace: A Christian Devotional on Living in Harmony with Others
The devotional below was written by my dear friend and fellow worker in Christ Jesus, who chooses to remain anonymous. She is a beautiful woman of God, a wife, and a mother who has an insatiable desire for the things of God. I bless God for her life.
Strive for Peace
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 ESV
Now that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1), God commands us to live at peace with others. The God of peace Himself equips us with all we need to do His will, which includes living peaceably with those around us (Hebrews 13:20-21).
To strive for peace with others is to actively seek it by making every effort, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to follow God’s Word regarding living peacefully with others. We must begin by surrendering our will to God in prayer, asking Him for the desire to live in peace with others and the grace to obey the Scriptures that promote peace in our relationships.
How to Pursue Peace According to the Bible
Respond with Gentleness
We strive for peace with others when, in obedience to Proverbs 15:1, we choose to respond to angry words with a gentle answer.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 ESV
Embrace God’s Wisdom
We pursue peace in our relationships by embracing God’s wisdom, as found in James 3:17-18. This involves being peace-loving, gentle with others, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. When we relate to one another according to God’s wisdom, we sow seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18 ESV
Make The Effort to Strive for Peace
We aim for peace by doing everything we can by God’s grace, to live peacefully with everyone, in accordance with Romans 12:18, which says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Strive for Peace by Choosing Forgiveness
We pursue peace whenever we refrain from vengeance, choosing not to repay evil with evil, but to do good instead (1 Thessalonians 5:15). In the face of persecution, we choose to bless rather than to curse, as we are called to do in Romans 12:14.
We strive for peace by choosing to forgive those who hurt us, refusing to keep a mental record of wrongs, so that our relationships can be restored and no root of bitterness develops.
Scriptures to Meditate On
It is imperative for us to pursue peace with everyone because the Word of God commands us to live in peace with others. Here are some other scriptures to meditate on.
“……be at peace among yourselves.” 1 Thessalonians 5:13b ESV
“……And live peacefully with each other.” I Thessalonians 5:13b NLT
“Finally, brothers rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV
We cannot afford to ignore these scriptures. Let us diligently pursue peace, especially as we anticipate the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
“But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” 2 Peter 3:13-14 ESV
“But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.” 2 Peter 3:13-14 NLT
Prayer
Father, You are the God of peace. I surrender my will to Yours. Please equip me with wisdom from Your Word and empower me with Your grace to live peacefully with those around me. You are the God of endurance and encouragement. Please instill in me the desire to always strive for peace with others, as befits a follower of Jesus Christ. I humbly ask this of You, LORD, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Footnotes
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