Praying For Peace To Melt Hostility and Harshness

 Too many of us carry a harsh picture of God and believe He looks for ways to be displeased with us. Sometimes we look at our actions and condemn ourselves and think that God also condemns us.  We seldom see the kindness and tenderness of God as He comes alongside us. 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give

you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart,

and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

God views our life situations with a caring heart.  He welcomes us to come to Him to find peace

when we are hurting, confused, or feeling threatened.  He encourages us to bring painful

memories out of the darkness of our souls and into the light of His healing presence, so that we

can be freed from their power over us. 

Let’s pray today and seek God’s help with whatever we are individually facing and what our

communities and societies are facing on the larger scale.

Lord, our peace is often challenged.  Sometimes our peace is challenged by the displeasure of

others.  We react with frustration, and sometimes almost without thinking, we strike out violently

at the source of our frustration.  This is not Your way. 

Over and over again God, You have come alongside us with grace and patience, acceptance and

forgiveness, and You’ve instructed us how to find peace of mind and heart, maintain that peace

through changing circumstances, and then to make and keep peace with others.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with

tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each

other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you

must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect

harmony. Colossians 3:12-14

Today we ask You God to help us let go of harshness and embrace the gentleness of spirit that

allows our hearts and minds to be at peace with all people at all times.  We want to be holy

people who reflect Your character no matter who we are with. 

It’s not easy to make allowance for the faults of others and forgive those who offend us but that’s

Your way and we want to live that way today.  As You have forgiven us, so we want to forgive

others. 

We all fall short and disappoint one another.  The way we do it may vary from person to person

and relationship to relationship but we all do that.  So help us today, when we don’t know what

else to do in order to live well and relate well with others to simply clothe ourselves with love,

which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

We don’t quite see how that will work and how so many divergent and angry voices might be

quieted and people find peace with one another but You say it and so we are going to pray it. 

Let peace reign across cultural and ethnic communities.  Let gentleness and respect and

honouring come to the foreground in all our race relations. 

Let economic barriers be brought down and those who have much care for those who have

little and those who may materially not have so much share from the richness of heart and spirit

that You’ve put within them. Loving God, help us to receive Your love and healing today so we

can let go of harshness, embrace gentleness, and live in peaceful relationship with You and

others.  Amen

No matter what country we live in there are all sorts of reasons why peace is challenged and

people seem to have a hard time dealing with one another in love and respect.  Let's be those

who lead by example.  Let's have hearts and lives that encourage and lift up others. Let's be

peacemakers today.  Have a great day.