Are You at Peace?

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  Romans 12:18

Highlights

By Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
4/15/2019 (5 years ago)

Published in Blog

Keywords: Christian, Catholic, Peace, Bible, scripture, Romans 12:18

Peace. What a blessing it is when we are at peace -- At peace with ourselves, at peace with our circumstances, at peace knowing we did our best, at peace with others -- those we love and those who are difficult to love. When we are at peace with all that goes on in our day, life just seems to run more smoothly. However, sometimes perfectionism, fear, challenges beyond our scope, or difficult people can throw a wrench into our best laid plans, leaving us feeling unsettled, even reeling. It all makes such good sense to strive to be at peace each day, but hard as we try, the operative word here is, 'strive...'  

Sometimes peace can be elusive. Left to our own devices, being at peace may be dependent on our mood, the challenge at hand, or even the erratic behavior of others. As the winds change, there goes our peace. Yet, most agree peace is worth pursing all the same. Sometimes, we are ill-prepared to embrace peace, and we let another person make it seemingly impossible to attain that goal, so we let them steal our peace and joy. 

There is ample, good reason why peace and joy are two of the first fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 -- They are two of the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit of Jesus in our lives. Could it be true because they go together like bookends? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ brings us both peace, and subsequent joy. And with Jesus at the helm, that peace and joy can be enduring, regardless of circumstances and our own imperfect humanness. A bad day, a troubled relationship, health issues, financial challenges, overwhelmed at work -- Peace and joy are restorative and can be preserved in any circumstance through faith and trust in Jesus. 

When you place your trust in Jesus, you are acknowledging that He is in control -- which He is. You are in essence saying, "Jesus, please take the wheel," as you step back and let Him be at the helm. Certainly you still have to do your part, but at that point it is squarely on His shoulders. Our biggest job at that point is to simply trust Him as He works all things for the good, beyond our wildest dreams.

There is great comfort in knowing that you have invited God into your life, into your circumstances. This trust, coupled with belief that He will come through for you, is the cornerstone of a close relationship with Jesus. Through scripture, He beckons us to bring our burdens to Him (Matthew 11:28) . And when we do, awe-inspiring things happen. Like carrying an oversized knap sack, there is great relief when you are able to put it down, rest, and take a deep breath. And so it goes, as we thank Jesus for willingly carrying our burdens, we are able to experience great peace and joy, as we say, "Jesus I trust in You!"

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Adele M. Gill, BSN, RN, CPC is the author of 3 inspirational books including 'From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,' written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and at Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.

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