Devotion #6: Living In Peace with Others

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:5 (NLT) 

As I write this, it is the Christmas season. I love being up at night, sitting in the light of the Christmas tree. Late, in the quiet of the night, is when I very often hear the Lord and contemplate the things He is teaching me. Some lessons are harder to learn than others, especially when they include challenging relationships. 

The Lord Himself is our source of patience and encouragement. In the first 30 years of His life, Jesus became equipped for a powerful ministry that would have an eternal impact. In Luke chapter 2, we read that Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, grew in wisdom and stature. All through the Gospels, we see that He spent much time in prayer and was strengthened and encouraged by the Father. Jesus responded with love to all the people as they were constantly asking so much of Him. He was patient with the disciples, who often seemed to lack faith and were slow to understand His mission. Like the disciples, I know that I am sometimes really slow in hearing what the Lord is saying. 

Throughout His life here on Earth, Jesus was the example to us of how to live in harmony with those who oppose the truth and test us in so many different ways. It takes patience and love for us not to respond in a fleshly manner to those who have views and ideas that differ from ours. 

Perseverance is commanded of us and given to us by God. If we know Jesus, we have the blessing of the Holy Spirit living in us. He grants us access to divine patience, encouragement, and strength from the Lord. It is through Christ alone that we are able to bear fruit and battle the flesh that threatens to steal the harmony and peace we have in our relationships with others. 

Romans 12:18 (NLT) says, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” 

Christ was our example of patience and living in harmony with others. As we seek Him in prayer, God will faithfully lead us in His ways. In this, He will help us conform to His image and live peaceably and harmoniously with those around us.