Receiving Peace

Luke 2:13-14 (MSG) At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

I love the Message translation on this scripture. So many of us wrestle with stress, worry and anxiety. Peace is far from our minds and our thoughts. How can we live in peace with so much hatred and evil in the world we live in? We live in peace by pleasing our Heavenly Father. By staying in the will of the One whom created us we can live our life in peace, even in the midst of chaos and darkness. When we are living in such a way that we are pleasing God, we realize the worries of this world are not our responsibility. Our only job is to please Jesus - under this job we have many things to do: love others, give selflessly, pray for our enemies, live in joy, be thankful, help people, show God's love, rejoice in times of trouble. All of these things will not happen overnight but they will come when we choose to put God first in all we do.

We are on a journey with God and we are all growing at different rates. Some of us have many layers that need peeled back and revealed as we begin to heal in several areas of our lives. There are things we may bottle up and keep deep down inside that God wants to uncover and it will be painful but God is there to get you through it so you may grow deeper in Him. If you aren't living in peace then ask yourself if you are keeping secrets. Not secrets about a surprise birthday party, secrets about your past or about something you have done that is now making you physically sick because of the fear of the unknown. Protect your future by revealing your past, not blabbing it on social media, but confessing it to God and allowing His presence to come and lift you up in the midst of the pain. Peace is attainable for all of us, will we receive it or hold on to the pain of our past and wait for peace in eternity? I promise that Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him and He will make you whole. Shine light in the darkness.

Colossians 3:15 (NLV) Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful.

James 3:18 (NLV) Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.