Advent Week Two: Peace

Week Two: Peace
Sharon (Kershner) Metzger (2010)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Peace is too often mistaken for passiveness, but anyone who has experienced true peace knows it’s anything but. I think I’ve learned more about peace in the past year than ever in my life, or more specifically, how letting go of control was one of the best paths to get to a place of peace. There were so many times this year when everything about my life felt out of control. Nothing was working out the way I planned and nothing was happening in the timing I hoped for. Work was challenging. My personal life was unpredictable, painful, and busy. I experienced loss in ways I didn’t expect. All control I thought I had over my life was gone.

I started to realize that I was putting my efforts in all the wrong places. My efforts were all going towards maintaining control myself, rather than developing a trust of God’s control. When I finally decided to release control of as many things as I could, I wasn’t giving up or becoming apathetic or passive. I was making an active effort to learn how to trust God with every part of my life. “For they will be called children of God.” I understand this part of the Beatitudes more deeply than ever before. It did feel like I needed to take the role of a child in order to trust God’s will for my life. I had to be led, nurtured, and comforted. I am a mom and the executive director of a non-profit, so these things don’t come easily or naturally to me. I’m usually the one doing the leading, the nurturing, and the comforting. But this year has brought me to my knees, sometimes literally, and I had no choice but to learn to be on the receiving end of these things from my Godly parent.

In a lot of ways, the year is ending better than it started. Because of this, I notice myself slipping back into the comfort of control. I feel a bit wiser and now understand that ultimately, this control was always an illusion anyway. It will only deceive me into thinking I don’t need to take the posture of a child and trust God to lead me through this life. Only then will I experience the peace that God always intended for me, a child of God.

Monday:
Take a moment of silence. Close your eyes and picture something you hold tightly to. Something you want to always have complete control over. Imagine this thing in your hands and hold on tightly to it. Now open your hands and take a few deep breaths. Ask God to help you learn how to release control over this specific thing.

Tuesday:
Please join me in this brief prayer: Thank you, Lord, for peace beyond what we could ever imagine. Guide us to it. Amen.

Wednesday:
Reflect on this verse: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Thursday:
The YouVersion Bible App describes peace this way in its Fruit of the Spirit Bible plan: “Peace is a deep well of confidence that God is who He is and that He will do what He says He will do. Peace comes from resting in the promises of God. It’s choosing to work with others for a common goal instead of insisting on our own way. Peace is often unexplainable and incomprehensible, but we know when we have it and know when we don’t. Peaceful people don’t go to war with their actions or words for they know that brings no relief to any situation.”

Friday:
What about these descriptions of peace encourage or challenge you?