Peace on Earth — Part 2

Just last month, Mark and two of his friends from college made a trip to Atlanta for the weekend. In my typical fashion, I was scurrying around until their arrival to make sure I had everything at our place needed for Mark and his friends to feel welcomed and loved. Chris and I knew we were cutting our run to the grocery store close, but we thought we could make it back before the crew arrived. We were wrong. Not only did Atlanta traffic keep us from arriving before them, but we got a phone call from Mark as we were heading back. He and his buddies were standing in front of our apartment waiting for us… along with dozens of police officers and a helicopter overhead. Apparently, there had been two people shot in our complex. Welcome home? Peace on earth? More like hell on earth! One murder and one attempted murder. Two families’ lives were forever changed that afternoon in a dispute. Not exactly what we’d expected in our new location and, obviously, the experience didn’t exactly leave me feeling encouraged and peaceful. I wonder if there’s anything in your life leaving you a little more than rattled as Christmas approaches? Are there justifiable, legitimate reasons why you don’t have peace? A diagnosis? A prodigal? An unexpected crisis? The same ol’ heartache that won’t go away?[bctt tweet="How often do we choose peace?"]Before you or I call in company for our pity party, I want to push back. In my last post, I mentioned that if we’re followers of Christ we don’t have to find peace… we already have it. That’s true, but how often do we choose peace? If I’m honest, when I wind the clock back in my own life to 2017, I had everything: a strong marriage, healthy children, a growing ministry, financial stability, excitement about the future, etc. Yet even then, I’d quickly thank God and then remind Him about my long list of (now) relatively minor concerns. My point? If we aren’t incredibly intentional, we can live just as restless in times of thriving as we do in times of surviving. Peace is possible in either scenario, but it’s equally true that stress, discouragement, and anxiety are also possible during seasons of provision. [bctt tweet="We can live just as restless in times of thriving as we do in times of surviving."]If I could go back, I’d have allowed myself to drink in each day, not quickly move ahead to the next. I can’t go back and neither can you… but we can choose to live differently. Starting today. So, what will you choose as you end 2018? Will you choose peace, or will you remain focused on what you think you’re missing? Will you trust the Prince of Peace?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.(John 14:26-27, ESV)

P.S. We still welcome any and all visitors. I promise it’s safe!