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Know Jesus, Know Peace

“Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. I wait for your salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands.” —Psalm 119:165-166 

 

It would be lovely if life was perfect, full of holy people who all acted like Jesus.  

 But it just isn’t like that. People hurt each other and get hurt themselves; we disappoint and are disappointed; we get angry and we anger others. 

 So when Jesus talked about turning the other cheek, was He serious? Wasn’t He speaking metaphorically? Cheek-turning sure doesn’t feel natural, in real life. 

 But Jesus stuck to His guns. In John 14:27 he insisted, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

 If I am truly living by God’s grace — His ideal design for my life — I’ll find myself settling down rather than amping up. On the other hand, if it doesn’t settle me down — if my innards are doing flip-flops — it’s not God’s grace. It’s some cheap substitute. 

 So how can I actually discover, and live by, God’s grace in a practical, everyday way?  

 When I’m truly walking with God, staying in constant communication with His Spirit, I am tapping in to the supernatural power that I must have in order to pull it off authentically. You can’t do it on your own. It has to be the work of the Spirit in you. 

 I’ll know when I’m really living in His power, because Jesus says the kind of grace He calls me to will result in my feeling at peace. I’ll be at peace with those who hurt me, those who disappoint me, those who are insensitive to my needs, and so on. It doesn’t make logical sense, but then Jesus isn’t constrained by what I consider to be logical when it comes to His work in my heart and my relationships! 

 

 My prayer this week: Lord, I’d love your peace. I don’t always want to live by your design in order to get it, but help me, please. I want to truly know the “settled down” sensation that goes with being in the very center of your ideal for my life. Thank you!