Let The Peace Of God Rule In Your Heart … And Be Thankful

In the current state of affairs, peace is something we all want, but many are not experiencing. There is turmoil over injustice, lost jobs, rising infection rate, starting back to school, and the list continues. We all could use a little more peace in our lives, but how do we get it? Open your Bible to Colossians 3: 15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Take a moment and ponder on this verse.

Read the first and last part of this verse again. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts … and be thankful! These two go hand in hand, you rarely have one without the other. When we are purposeful in our thanksgiving, giving thanks in all circumstances, then peace follows closely behind. Being thankful and grateful, no matter what the circumstance, is a key factor to beginning to find peace.

It is hard to find peace and to let it rule in our hearts if we aren’t grateful and thankful. We can have peace for a minute or two, but if we harbor any bit of resentment over our situation or are jealous for what someone else has then that peace won’t last long. When we focus on what we don’t have instead of what we do have then peace can be very elusive. Peace is rarely present when all we do is complain. Yet when we are thankful for what we do have, what God has so graciously given us or saved us from, then it is much easier to find peace even in the midst of uncertainty.

Many have asked how I feel about starting school back up in person, am I concerned, afraid, disgruntled? I can truly say I am truly at peace. These are uncharted, untested times and sometimes you have to be the explorer, the inventor, the scientist, the person who by faith takes the first step. I am at peace because I am thankful that God is ultimately in control. I am thankful He has wise and compassionate people in place who have student safety as their number one priority. I am thankful that God has given wisdom to doctors and scientists who are working on a way to combat the virus. I am thankful for the time spent with family. I am thankful that this is but a blip in time and I have eternity to find out all the answers to my questions, if by that point I will even have any.

When we focus on being thankful, finding something to praise God for, then letting peace rule in our hearts becomes second nature. Read Colossians 3:15 over and over until you have it committed to memory. Let it sink into your mind, put it on a sticky note, keep it close by.

If you are anxious, disgruntled, or just out of sorts; stop and find something to be thankful for. Thank God for hearing you, for sending you this verse, for just being there. Thank Him for the sunrise, the fawns frolicking in the yard, the text from a friend. You can always find at least one thing to be thankful for. Give thanks and then let God’s peace flow over you and rule your day and your heart.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15