Tag: inspirational daily devotional

Embracing Peace and Refusing Strife

Leave a comment

“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife…” (Proverbs 20:3). There are some things we do not have to welcome into our lives. There are contentions we can choose to ignore. Some arguments don’t need our rebuttal.

Peace is so often forfeited because of the need for one to interject their opinions or to get involved in the things that matter much for nothing except to stir up the pot of strife.

Stop. Do not allow yourself to be pulled into what is fruitless. It is easy to offer your voice in a matter, but some things do not require your voice or participation.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). If it is not promoting peace and seeking a resolution of love, walk away. Where there is one who consistently seeks to disturb the fruit of the Spirit bearing peace (Galatians 5:22), pluck not from their branches, no matter how savory or sweet the delicacy may seem.

As a child of God, stopping and viewing this situation through the eyes and heart of God will help us to make loving decisions. Prayerfully take inventory of the situation before you, and ask, “Where is this leading?” “What end is this trying to bring about?” “What motives are seeking manifestation through personal involvement in this?”

If there is a negative response to these questions, then there will be negative fruit and actions as a result. Stop now, my friend. Refuse to attend the argument. Refuse to waste the precious resource and gift of today by not sowing into things that end in bitterness and strife.

There are 86,400 seconds given to us on this day. Each one is precious. Each one is to be cared for like the treasure it is. Each one is so important that it should not be wasted on things that tear down, on things that promote the opposite of God’s will for your life. Instead, Colossians encourages us to, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (3:15).

Your moments. Your seconds, minutes, and days can be used for better things, more worthy of your precious time, other than discord. There is a special beauty in choosing to stop getting involved in what is fruitless and start promoting things that edify.

Instead of involvement in contentions, let us focus more on the giving of love. Giving of those things that beautifully promote grace and life. And the giving of those things that seek for peace.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Seeing Through the Right Lens

Leave a comment
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

With negativity coming at us from all corners, it can sometimes become difficult to view our world, life, and circumstances through the lens of anything different. However, one of the blessings God has endowed humanity with is the ability to choose. We can choose what we invest our thinking energy into. We can choose what lens we will view our right now time and our future time through.

This idea of choosing a lens isn’t just theoretical—it became real for me during a trip. On a vacation, we had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter. The only problem with that is that I am not too fond of heights. To enjoy the experience (and it is something I wanted to do because I am trying to stretch myself in certain areas) and not to show how unnerved I was, while flying hundreds of feet above the ground, I chose to pick up my camera and view most of my experience through that lens. It made the flight more enjoyable. There were some moments of bravery when I lowered the lens, but when I felt uncomfortable with the heights, I would simply raise it again, choosing to view my experience in this manner.

Friends, as we are going through life, we are not blind to the real pain we and others may experience or those things that unnerve us or uncomfortable circumstances. The Bible tells us that in life there will be many different seasons we may face: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4).

Regardless of the season, God gave us the power of choice, and we get to choose how we will take in what we see and experience. We get to choose how we deal with what is before us. We get to choose what we believe about what we see.

If one is always viewing adversity through the lens of self-pity and the like, then everything attached will bear the fruit of self-pity. The choice is ours. Or, we can flip our way of thinking like David did to correct his mindset amid adversity, saying, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psalm 43:5).

How we view what we are going through and dealing with will be determined by how we choose to view it. Proverbs encourage us to, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (4:23). Therefore, we get to choose to be pessimistic about everything or optimistic.

Some things we face may be hurtful, but thank God, that’s not the end of our story. For the believer, our story is written in Jesus, in whom is our overcoming victory (John 16:33; 1 John 5:4), and in the story of His Word is where we find our strength. And that’s where we must lean, trust, focus, and anchor our hope.

Are you having trouble redirecting your thoughts? Consider adding the reading of these verses daily to your routine:

Philippians 4:6-9 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

Romans 8:24-25, 28 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Psalm 31:24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

What lens are you choosing to view your circumstances through today?

Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You and trust in the authority and promises of Your holy Word which grounds us in the right perspective for our lives no matter what we may face.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.