Oh, how I am a people pleaser. I want every meal I cook to be the most delicious thing my company has ever tasted. I want everyone to get my “sparkling” wit. I want to be wanted. But it turns out, I can’t please everyone. As hard as I may find it to believe, some people just don’t like me.
And in the instant of that realization, my peace is out the window. But God’s peace never is. In fact, it’s waiting to be found, like a secret weapon.
God’s peace is both a prayer and a promise. We pray for His blessings in our walk—to enjoy a life of obedience, to feel His protection over our health and our home, for Him to breathe life into our families. And in His peace, He promises to set our souls free.
Free from perfection.
Free from wanting the approval of others.
Free from competing in every popularity contest that we want to win.
The mind governed by the flesh is death but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NIV) Our Lord guarantees life in Him rather than death in the world, because peace with Him transcends the pain, brokenness and emptiness of this world. Let’s choose His peace.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18, NIV) While we shouldn’t need everyone to like us, as Believers, we’re called to love the unlovable. We’re called to love peace, seek peace, be at peace. When that peace is disrupted, in our families and relationships, as hard as it may be, if we are in Him, we should work to bring His peace to those situations. Let’s choose His peace.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NIV) It all boils down to the hope and peace we have in Him. When we are full of that hope and peace, we have no time to fuss over the little quarrels and pettiness that stand to disrupt where we are. Let’s choose His peace.
We’re praying for you to find His peace, Sisters. And He promises to give it abundantly to you.
Love this… “God’s peace is waiting to be found like a secret weapon”.
How refreshing this devotional is for me. I am, was, not where I use to be. A work in progress. lol
so exhausting is right. I find myself always looking for God's peace, funny its already there. Even in my church where I stand in leadership don't care how much you pray, fast, and concede there are people who just don't like you, won't agree with you, and are bound on being disruptive! Lately I have been focusing on God only, the still small voice that he speaks to us with. I am learning to say No! I am learning to rest in no.
God’s peace is both a prayer and a promise.
God bless
I've certainly struggled through many years of trying to please everyone. Frankly, it's exhausting. I'm thankful to God that I'm learning to get a hold of that tendency, through many trials & many errors. I simply cannot make everyone happy, everywhere, all the time, and when I try… I am the one who winds up annoyed, resentful, bitter, and terribly unhappy. That's when the devil wins & I'm sorry to say that he has had such a hold on me through the years. I strive, yearn, to look straight to God for validation and no where else.
Two other statements in today's devotional really stood out to me: 1) "When that peace is disrupted, in our families and relationships, as hard as it may be, if we are in Him, we should work to bring His peace to those situations. Let’s choose His peace." 2) When we are full of that hope and peace, we have no time to fuss over the little quarrels and pettiness that stand to disrupt where we are. Let’s choose His peace." I've experienced a MAJOR disruption of peace in my relationship this week. The circumstances of the blow up probably are petty but I feel there are serious underlying issues present, issues that are truly fundamental differences between us. What if God is trying to show me that I need to move on & remove myself from this relationship? Or is that one of Satan's lying schemes again? What if God is revealing Himself more to me through the trials of this relationship, showing me how to love & forgive in His image – not my own? I want a peaceful life, a peaceful relationship. I want to be full of hope and peace, but I can't live in denial that my relationship is not in a good place. Not for a long while. I feel very confused. Has anyone else felt confused about where God wants you to be? What He wants you to do? I want my heart and mind to live in the peace of Jesus Christ. I need His peace. I'm just not feeling it here, with this man.
I would appreciate any prayers and I also pray that we all, the natural people pleasing women that we are, take some time over the next few days to simply please ourselves in His word and also in our actions. Let's get outside of our worries for a moment, I know I certainly need to. I'm thinking back to the comments I have posted during this reading plan; most have been so sad & especially today. This devotional plan has really made me think, spoken to my heart of hearts. Thank you Lord.
Lauren- hugs and a prayer for you. I'm sorry you're struggling right now. I also find it so difficult to know what the "right" decision is in certain situations. How great that you're letting your faith guide you as you are reflecting on this situation.
I can't quote the scripture, but a recent reading included the advice to be still/stay quiet and listen for the Lord. I usually always have a lack of patience and I want situations resolved immediately. I constantly have to remind myself that it's in God's time. I hope you feel some clarity and peace soon.
Thank you Michelle. I need to remember the verse you have in mind – to let God fight for me, and I need only to be silent. I need to remember to be silent inwardly in my thoughts as well, and just listen to God. Sometimes my thoughts can be quite toxic. Thank you for your support & wishing you a blessed day today.
Hi LaurenC, I can certainly appreciate where you are coming from, I too struggled through many years of trying to please everyone. Frankly, it is very exhausting. I'm better now only because of many trials. I finally rested in the fact that I couldn't make everyone happy, everywhere, all the time, and when I try… I am the one who winds up annoyed, resentful, bitter, and terribly unhappy. What really got it for me was I finally discovered that while I was up all night worrying , what ifing the world was sleep, moved on to something else.
I find God's word to be so true Psalm 34:14 Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it, 1 Peter 3:11, Snub evil, and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth.
The pursuit of peace must be purposed. Its a choice. It takes practice. I believing in being real. And n many cases its a sacrifice. A dying to our flesh, it won't feel good. Our human nature longs to be right, to be first, to be acknowledged, to be loved. But we are all that through the blood that Christ shed for us!
I pray for you this morning, I pray that Gods word would cause all crooked places to become strait n your relationship.
God bless you my sister.
Thank you so much for your support. You are right; the pursuit of peace above all else is not only a choice but it does take practice. I fail often but that's okay because at least I'm trying. At least my desire is in the right place now, finally. Thank for you the excellent reminder that it's our human nature which longs to be right, to be first, to be acknowledged, to be loved. It's all right here for me, in the Lord. I hope you have a blessed day today.
Peace. Even in the midst of spiritual battle. God-of-the-Angel-Armies fights our battles for us. I need peace now.
I preach Phil. 4 to myself all the time: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
IF we present our requests to God WITH thanksgiving THEN God will guard our hearts with his perfect peace.
Nicole,
Funny that. I have that song by Chris Tomlin re the God of Angel Armies on the loop. Love it!
I can so relate to this post! I am so a people pleaser! I can't stand for anyone to be mad at me! today, in my bible reading, I read about Giddeon, and this just so fits.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13,
NIV) It all boils down to the hope and peace we have in Him. When we are full of that hope and peace, we have no time to fuss over the little quarrels
and pettiness that stand to disrupt where we are. Let’s choose His peace.
Trusting Him. that means faith, something else i was listening to a podcast on today.
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about thingswe cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1, NLT). We have this faith that God is in all of it, and we then have peace. so simple, but not so easy.
You are so right..when we are full of Jesus, there is no room for pettiness or worry. Now I gotta let Him in those little spaces that are blocked with pettiness and such. Why is that so hard? It should be easy.
The subject of peace reminded me what a good friend shared with me three years ago. (Yes, I still need to read it now.) Her notes are from Beth Moore (Living Beyond Yourself study, maybe?) re being a peacemaker and a peacekeeper. I hope it blesses someone since we seem to be struggling with the same issues.
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Fr Beth Moore:
“Jesus says in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
Realize the vast difference between peace maker and a peacekeeper. A typical peacekeeper often attempts to keep peace at any cost. Ironically this brand of peace is primarily a false peace.
Jeremiah 8:11 says, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”
We pretend there is peace not to rock the boat, ruffle feathers, but there really is no peace.
A true peacemaker is inferred in the word used in Matthew 5:9 which is the Greek word eirenopoios. It means “peacemaker, one who restores peace and reconciliation between persons or nations.” Embedded in that word is the Greek word poios, meaning “to make, do, expressing action either as completed or continued.”
To be a true peacemaker means doing, taking action. It takes work to be a peacemaker, we can not sit idly by and cease working for peace. That is the opposite of peace and it it the word philneikos. It means “lover of contention.”
We can either be keepers of false peace or lovers of contention, but Jesus calls us to be peacekeepers. It takes work and some doing but in Christ’s strength we can do all things.
Our prayer should be to Christ, “Come take over!” because the rule of Christ in our lives is the uncontested key to true peace. “
Right on time again! :) l am a HUGE people pleaser, and there is no better way to get frustrated or disappointed with yourself . I find this devo liberating! To be free from the pressure of trying to be everything to everybody. I know I can’t, yet feel tremendous guilt when I’m not. “God’s peace is both a prayer and a promise…and in His peace, He promises to set our souls free…because peace with Him transcends the pain, brokenness and emptiness of this world… God’s peace- He promises to give it abundantly to you!”
What a promise! To have that self-imposed burden lifted…amazing! To have PEACE instead- JOYFUL! To experience these promises actually happening makes me want to celebrate and praise His name, that even in this extremely trying time in my life I can give Thanks for the work He is doing in and around me. I believe Sisters, I have found my “secret weapon”- resting in the knowledge of joy and abundant peace because I can trust Him. His promises are NOT empty, but full of joyous life! Today I choose Him. Today I choose peace!
Praying all my Sisters have a peaceful, pleasant day!! :)