Within Your Power

‘If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men’ Rom.12:18 [NKJV].

We need to understand that God has called us to be peacemakers and not necessarily peace achievers. There is a difference because peacemakers don’t always achieve peace. Peace achievers think they have failed if they do not achieve peace. A peacemaker longs for, works for, sacrifices for peace, and prays for peace. But the attainment of peace may or may not come. It is possible for you to seek for peace and peace would not come. ‘Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone’ Rom.12:18. Sometimes it does not lie with you because some people are just unreasonable. I will give you two scenarios where peace making cannot be attained.

Scenario #1: Peace making cannot be achieved where people are unreasonable, inconsolable, unappeasable [satan for instance is unappeasable]. There are people like this, try your best but leave them alone where peace making proves impossible.  You are still a peacemaker.

Scenario #2: Peace making cannot be attained when there is a clash of peace and truth. ‘First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!’ 1 Cor.11:18-19. Paul was saying to them that he knows that there will be confusion and it is good that there will be confusion. So you that are standing on truth keep standing on truth. I initially did not understand what Paul meant but when I read it again I realized that Paul was simply saying stand on the truth. Sometimes you make a decision based on the Word of God and your spouse insists that you bend or be punished. Jesus is saying take the punishment. Some people think that wives are to obey their husbands in everything. Of course not, that is not what the Bible says. There are husbands that will not touch their wives intimately because they want to punish her for taking a stand on the Word of God. God says bear it.

Prayer: Father, even as I stand on Your truth and pursue peace, let Your strength shine through all my weaknesses, in Jesus Name.