Making Peace Our Lifestyle预览

What Peace Means to Us

By understanding the guarantee and message of peace, one can determine its significance. Reflect on four declarations of what peace means for you, personally.

First, peace declares, “Your life is of great value.” If what God did in Christ is for everyone, peace is now standing before you saying, “You are valuable; you are significant; your life is of great worth.” The enemy of God may lie to you and tell you that others are more valuable to God than you are, but that is not what peace says. Your value has already been determined by the enormous price that Christ paid for you with His own blood.

Second, peace declares, “God is not mad at you.” My father, T.L. Osborn, once spoke those words at a packed convention center. A hush fell over the crowd. Those simple words were a divine shock to the hearts of the listeners. Think of it: God is not mad at you! His mercy and tenderness have never wavered. His grace has never altered. His compassion has never withdrawn. There may be times when you think that you are not doing enough or are disappointing God. You might think, “That weakness in your life—that personality flaw—has angered God, and He has decided not to use you.” That is not the truth! God loves you. He is not mad at you.

Third, peace declares, “You are not alone.” God is present with you. He will guide you through your life journey. You can depend on it. You are not required to know everything that may happen tomorrow. You are to trust the God who is present with you. When you need to make decisions about a relationship, a job, a move, or anything else, pause and ask the Lord for guidance. Listen to Him, and you will discover that you are living the lifestyle of peace.

Fourth, peace declares, “Enjoy the journey.” Have confidence that everything is going to be all right because your Master is continually guiding you in the way of peace. Because you trust that His presence is with you, you do not give up. You are able to enjoy each day, each experience, each moment, and each breath because God is leading. He is guiding you in the way of peace. As the Prince of Peace, He encourages you to be happy and enjoy the journey.