Peace Begins With You

Peace Begins With You “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18, NIV Today’s scripture reminds us of our call to peace as declared by the Lord. With all the issues and trials that many of us face each day, it can become a tall order to live at peace with everyone. Just thinking about this makes my stomach a bit nausea because Lord knows I’ve had my share of run-ins and bump-ups with others. At first sight this scripture can be overwhelming, but wait…. Did you notice the first four words of the scripture? “if it is possible” Hmm, are those four words the get out of jail free card that excuses us from putting forth the effort to live in peace with everyone? Or maybe it’s an important component of a formula that we can use to help live out this declaration from God. I believe the words if it is possible allow for a bit of self reflection for those who have been called and chosen to live the life of a peculiar people. The word does say that we’ve been set aside for a purpose. First, we understand as a child of the Most High God, “all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. Second, the words If it is possible allow us to evaluate our personal belief system and to challenge the way that we handle and process information. We have the opportunity to align our thoughts and actions with how the word says we should reflect the image of Christ. We can then identify opportunities for improvement and make adjustments as necessary. My personal belief is that peace begins within each of us. If we expect to begin the process of living at peace with everyone else, we first have to be at peace with ourselves. Third, put the formula to work! As Far as it depends on me / If it is possible = live at peace with __________________. We all experience some type of conflict within our personal and professional lives. If you have a desire to move beyond the strife understand that you have the power within to live at peace because all things are possible in Christ! Take your effort, divide it by the infinite possibilities in Christ and reap the rewards of peaceful relationships in all areas of you life! My intuitive nature reveals to me that God wants me to do everything within my power to live at peace but he doesn’t expect me to accomplish this without his help. Peace and Wellness, Suga