Encouragement for Your Week: July 5-11

This Week’s Verse

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace."

— Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

Devotion

Peace is a gift that Jesus gave to His followers. He said, “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,” (John 14:27). If we feel anxious or uneasy about something, we are not walking in the peace God gave us. In those moments, the Apostle Paul wrote that we should share our worries with God. When we do, “the peace of God, which is much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:7).

This week’s verse tells us that peace should be the baseline emotion for Christians. We are "called to peace." This means Jesus expects the members of His church to live in harmony with each other. If there is conflict or tension in the church, we are not living out Christ’s calling, and we are missing out on the peace He provided. When this happens, we need to follow Paul's advice: take our problems to God in prayer so that peace can be restored to the community.

Because we are called to peace, we must let the peace of Christ "rule" in our hearts. This means peace should guide what we say and do. If you don't feel a sense of peace about something you plan to say or do, you should hit pause. In that way, peace acts like a referee, governing your heart and choices.

In fact, checking whether you feel at peace is a great way to know if something is God's will. God is a God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33), and Christ has shared His peace with us. Because of this, we should expect to feel a deep sense of peace when He is leading us. Even if God calls you to do something difficult, you can still expect to have an underlying peace about it.

Think about a major decision or a tense situation you are facing right now. Is the peace of Christ acting as the 'referee' in your heart, or are you letting anxiety run the game? What is one worry you need to hand over to God today to let His peace back in?