Is peace between us and others possible?

February 13 - February 17, 2023 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Living with Peace Week 2

Peace is hard work, guys.

Have you noticed that? It’s part of the reason I wanted to focus this month on Peace, mostly because it’s something I’m trying to find. I’m so grateful that God has made a way for us to be at peace with Him, because without His grace that would be impossible.

There is no human being who is perfect enough to be at peace naturally with God because every human being is broken. Well, one human being was perfect enough. And that was Jesus, who died for us so that we could become the friends of God, rather than His enemies.

But peace with God is one thing. God provides what He requires. He always has. There’s another side of this peace thing that is much more difficult to live with: Peace with other people.

Living at peace with other people is a challenge even on the best day because other people are different than we are. Other people have different priorities and perspectives on life. Other people have different relationships with God and are in a different place in their daily walk with Him. Other people are—well, they’re other.

So how can you live at peace with someone who is obviously wrong? How can you live at peace with someone who constantly hurts your feelings? How can you live at peace with people who push your buttons and don’t respect your boundaries?

Well, you can’t do it by yourself, that’s for sure. And that’s what we’re going to talk about this week: Living at peace with others.

• February 13 - Manage your expectations

• February 14 - Manage your anger

• February 15 - Manage your relationship with God

• February 16 - Manage your priorities

• February 17 - Manage your heart

Peace isn’t an exact science. It’s truly more of an art, and, frankly, it’s completely impossible outside of God’s Spirit. That’s why we need His help to use it. Peace is a gift, after all.

I love how God never wastes words. He always tells us precisely what we need to know, which is why this week’s memory verse stood out to me, Romans 14:19.

Notice there are no definites and no commands in this verse. It doesn’t say you MUST live at peace. There’s no demand that harmony is the only way. Look. It says “let us aim for harmony.” It says “try” to build each other up.

Why do you suppose that is? Well, my theory is that there are people who refuse to live in harmony. There are people who are incapable of being built up. They won’t let you. None of us are robots, and if you’re in a relationship with someone who is unwilling (or unable) to live in peace, commanding us to do so would lead us to an unhealthy life of emotional codependency.

Aim for harmony. Try to build others up. It’s the intent of your heart that matters here. Don’t just give up on people because they’re too difficult, but give it your best shot to make peace. If you can’t, at least you tried. You can’t carry the weight of another person’s inability to live in peace. That’s not your job. So let it go.

Praying for all of you this week, in all your interactions and all your many responsibilities, that God will grant you a sense of peace and purpose and that in the moments where you feel weak, He will remind you that He is strong.

Love to you all.

Amy

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