October 8, 2016 Seeking Peace And Making Amends
Saturday October 8, 2016
Step Nine is about the work of peace – seeking peace and making amends. Both the Bible and the program of AA call us to this work.
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (Romans 12:18, Matthew 5:9 NLT)
For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine. (Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 87)
It would be impossible for us to risk taking the first step in making amends with others had God not demonstrated the way for us. Over and over again we failed to keep God’s commandments and yet He was willing to sacrifice His Son, Jesus, in payment for our sin so we could find true peace. God has completed the work necessary for us to know peace today and now He calls us to extend that peace to others in our circle of family and friends. Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen. (Romans 5:1, Romans 15:33 NLT)
God didn’t wait for us to come to Him. He prepared in advance. He reached out to us with this wonderful gift when we didn't dare approach Him. We can reflect on God’s way of reconciliation as we begin the work of restoring our troubled relationships.
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19 NLT)Making amends is a responsibility we must take very seriously if we want to protect our sobriety. However, seeking peace and making amends within the focus of this truth, "God has forgiven me first", brings new power and deeper satisfaction, because we act based on our gratitude.
©2016 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
Audio for October 8, 2016 Seeking Peace And Making Amends
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.