September 17, 2016 Peaceful Relationships Through Humility
Saturday September 17, 2016
Our lives need to change if we are to experience healthy and joyful relationships with God and others. While we know we cannot fix ourselves, we have great confidence and peace when we come to God and ask Him to remove all our character defects.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (James 4:6-8, 10 NLT)
One problem many of us experience is that we are willing to have God remove SOME of our defects of character but others are more of a challenge. We think we are finished, and may think God is finished with our restoration, but as long as we notice difficulties in our relationships with others, there remains a work that God wants to do in us.
Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11 NLT)
It is God’s desire that we experience peace, genuine peace in our relationships every day of our lives and to help us achieve that by removing obstacles. Humble people find this life of peace and joy more quickly than others because they are willing to have blind spots pointed out to them and have God help them work through the issues in their hearts. Step Seven helps us make a great start on this journey but we will still have defects to admit to and deal with all of our lives.
Humble people are peaceful grateful people because they recognize the journey of progress not perfection. They leave their stubborn pride behind and come close to God who alone can save and restore them. As they recognize defects they ask God to teach them what the root of the problem is and deal with the problem God’s way. God forgives. God heals. God encourages. God makes a new way of peace and blessing available to all who are willing to have Him work in their hearts every day.
©2016 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
Audio for September 17, 2016 Peaceful Relationships Through Humility
Recent Meditations
Giving Hope
Partners in Hope is supported wholly by our friends and community. We are thankful to everyone who partners with us to help bring hope to the discouraged, hurting, and hopeless.