Monday, May 7, 2012

And Be At Peace! – 2 Peter 3:13-14

13    But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14    Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 
– 2 Peter 3:13-14





And Be At Peace!

As we work through our "issues" and try to become more like Christ, are we at peace? With God? With our families and friends?  

Good! Now here's a tough one . . . are we at peace with ourselves?  

For some reason, we are our own worst enemies and so we can find it difficult to let things go.  Especially when we make the same mistakes over and over again.  We hold on to our disappointment and embarrassment like a child holds on to an ice cream cone, or a greedy miser holds on to a shiny coin.  We can be at peace with the whole world, but when we take a look in the mirror of our soul, we only see our flaws and we question God as to why we can't change or are having difficulty changing.

God wants to let you know today that it's OK to let go.  It's really that easy.  Just raise your arm, open your hands up, and start visualizing your self-beratement drifting off to space like some colorful group of helium filled balloons. 

"But I can't!" you say? 
"You just don't understand?" you think?
"How can I just let go of all the damage I've done and the people I've hurt?"
"How can I be at peace when I just can't seem to stop doing the same dumb things time-after-time?"
"How can I . . . 
(enter your own question here)?"

Well I do understand.  I go over and over my own mistakes all the time and I think of all the should've, would've, could've scenarios over - and over - and over again.  I don't know why I do it, but I do.  But you know what?  I'm getting better at just letting go.  I'm getting better at asking the Holy Spirit for help in doing it.  I'm getting better at laying at Jesus' feet . . . and leaving it there.  I'm getting better and I have to tell you that there is so much freedom in not having to revisit my mistakes every day.  Not living in and dwelling on your past mistakes will help bring you closer to being at peace with yourself. 

Won't you try it today?  Won't you lift up, reach out, and let go?  Try to be at peace with your life!  Start with doing it just for today.  Forgive yourself and let the blood of Jesus wash everything out of your mind.  He went through so much . . . just for you, and He wants you to know the freedom, and the joy, and the peace that He is holding out in front of you!  Reach out and take it!  NowTHAT is something to hold on to!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You so much for all that You went through just so that we could know the freedom of Your love.  I am so sorry for discounting Your sacrifice by refusing to let go of my past sins and failures and for dwelling on things that I have no power to change.  I need Your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me each day so I can overcome this tendency to go back to my self-hating ways.  Thank You Lord, I know I will learn to live in peace - with myself  - with Your help.

Have a blessed day everyone!

–Richard


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