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In today’s always rushing society; peace is something many long for yet never get to the place of experiencing or living in. How can this be? How can so many be missing it and not even realize they are missing it? For those who claim to follow Christ Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27 KJV) This demonstrates that He left peace which means that we already have it! To have it is one thing; to keep the climate of it is another that requires some effort.
Some simple steps to creating a climate of peace are:
Create order. When things are out of order there is no peace. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 it reads, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace–as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” (NIV) Reflect on your life for a moment. What areas are out of order? Finances, relationships, boundaries, your health; does the garage need organizing? How about your spiritual life? Is there order there? Any area out of order leads to a lack of peace and changes the climate and not for the better.
Remove distractions. Distractions are time wasters and joy stealers in most cases. They take away your focus, your thinking on higher things and they in essence take away your life. It doesn’t matter what they are; the fact that they are is what must be recognized. Do you need to shut off your phone? Tune out the news? Log off social media? Stop binge watching reruns? Remember these words: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 KJV) The full life is awaiting you and when the distractions are removed it’s easier to see the full life and take steps to living it.
Disengage in conflict. None of us in society needs to look far to find conflict; it’s among us at every turn. It doesn’t matter what political or religious idealogies you accept; the fact remains conflict is breeding and any time any of us participate we are in it and lose out because we are simply a tool used by the enemy. Conflict in whatever kind for the sake of conflict serves no purpose other than to distract, to destruct and to destroy when there is no goal of any resolution. We must remember ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;..” (2Corinthians 10:4-6 KJV) When it’s understood that the enemy does not care how conflict is but that it is the opportunity for disengagement changes the entire dynamic. There is too much life to be lived than to give so much to conflict for the sake of it.
Usher in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can enter your life like water as it is revealed in Isaiah 44:3-4. What a refreshing thing to experience when the Holy Spirit enters in such a manner! On the other hand; when we live in a climate that lacks peace; there is no room for the Holy Spirit. He will leave when there is no peace but strife. He will depart. It is known from the prayer of David that the Presence of the Lord can depart while King Saul too experienced it.Usher in the Holy Spirit and do what you can to create that climate of peace- and keep it.
When you begin to reflect upon your life and what the picture of it actually is compared to what you think it is you will be in a better position to create the change. You will be in that power position to create and live in order, you will remove the distractions and disengage in conflict and as you usher in the Holy Spirit your climate of peace will be one that you will do everything you can to keep it. And then you as a result will be in a greater position to hear Him speak in the stillness of the climate; that climate of peace.