During Bible study last Thursday night we took our first dive into Relationships!  The purpose of the series is not give specific advice on every possible type of relationship in our lives, but to build a foundation of basic principles for ANY relationship.

The first building block is Peace.  I have a strong conviction, that according to God’s Word, our definition of peace is way off base.  If I have to be totally honest with you, my personal definition of peace is the same as most folks.  Peace is the absence of trouble, stress, and problems in my life, my immediate world, and the world as a whole.  I can feel peaceful at times – usually brief moments – but peaceful none the less.  I enjoy those brief moments of the absence of trouble, but if I want a life full of peace, I need more than just glimpses of no trouble.

God’s definition of peace is His presence.  Verses like Romans 5:1, Psalm 122:6-9, and Philippians 4:7 give us a clearer picture of God’s peace.  It is found in one’s relationship with Him and Him alone.  It exists in the midst of the troubles, stresses, and problems of this world because He has overcome the world and it’s issues.  Knowing Him is knowing peace.  The peace is there immediately in your relationship with Him, but the difficult task of the Christian is to seek God’s peace instead of the peace of the world.  Learning the difference is a process that begins at salvation and continues through life.

Most of us spend an inordinate amount of time seeking “peace” in our relationships.  We want relationships that bring us joy, comfort, and benefit our lives.  Sounds great!  The problem is those relationships don’t exist in the real world.  No relationship is free of problems or stresses.  My key is to place God at the center of my relationships (all types), and allow Him to bring His peace to the people involved.  My relationships are imperfect because they involve imperfect people.  Peace can still be found in my imperfection because it exists in God and doesn’t depend on me.  I just have to seek His peace.  It’s already there, and He desires for me to use it in my relationships.

Who’s peace are you seeking?  The world’s or God’s?  Do you just want a stress free day, or life that is unshakeable because it is built on the foundation that Jesus loves me and gave Himself for me, and because of His sacrifice for me, I have a personal relationship with the God who IS peace.

I’d love you to throw in your two cents!

WG