Thinking Like A Peacemaker

God invites us to joy and peace, to forgiveness and a loving relationship.  Have we allowed ourselves to be loved and encouraged by the living God today?  If we have failed to spend time with God, we could be setting ourselves up for failure by not allowing Him to fill us up with His peace and the strength necessary to properly face any trials that may arise. 

Learning how to let go of our self-centered ways and coming into a lifestyle of making peace with God and others is hard work, particularly in early recovery.  There are so many things to learn and unlearn.  We have our default ways of acting and reacting and it’s difficult for us to adjust to new ways of behaving.  As with any new activity, it can be tiring at first as the "muscles of our soul" often feel painful from the strenuous workout.  However, this pain signals growth rather than trouble to avoid.

God provides everything we need to relate to and be at peace with people who are less than perfect.  Instead of engaging in harmful addictive behaviour God wants to honour us and have us honour others.  He wants to remove the poison of evil from us and fill us with His goodness which brings great joy in our relationship with Him.  In the strength of God’s love, we can then do the hard work of interacting peacefully with others who, like us, are flawed. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I choose to rely on Your promise that I can live in peace today as I pursue a life that honours You and others.  Help me to submit to Your proven ways of interacting with others so that my behaviour gives glory to You and blesses those with whom I have a relationship.  Amen