Where does a Peacemaker Find the Power to Persevere in Conflict?
Answer: Through Complete Dependence on Jesus.
What motivates you on a day to day basis? Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). What would it look like if God’s glory was our energy for living? Just as food sustains us, empowers us, and gives us pleasure, Christ-followers should be sustained, empowered, and motivated by the food of doing God’s will and accomplishing his work.
A Christian’s life goal increasingly becomes the mission of displaying and magnifying the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:1-2, Philippians 1:21). Whether facing plenty or want, a vision for God’s glory is what enables us to pick up our crosses daily, deny ourselves, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). Like Paul, we want others to see Christ through us (1 Corinthians 11:1). Maturity means we find increasing joy in God becoming greater and greater and our own desires becoming lesser and lesser (John 3:30, Psalm 37:4).
What tough relationships has God called you to persevere in? Where are there opportunities in your life to pick up your cross and follow Jesus? Jesus persevered and endured the cross with joy, because God’s glory had so captured his heart (Hebrews 12:1-2, John 17). We who are united to Christ are called to mini-deaths in just the same way (Romans 6:1-14). Jesus exclaimed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Seeing God’s glory displayed in the world can come in many ways. We pray His kingdom come, His will be done, and ask Christ to rule in our hearts (Matthew 6:10, Colossians 3:15).
Where can you give yourself in service to God and others? Peacemakers desire to bear fruit, like trust in the Lord, repentance, obedience, and the fruit of the Spirit, displaying God’s power in impossible situations. When patience, love, joy, and peace seem impossible, we display God’s glorious grace by showing that the surpassing power comes from him, not us (2 Corinthians 4:7)! Humanly impossible situations become the crucible in which we learn to persevere in love. We come to an end of ourselves and are forced to surrender and rely on God, allowing Him to mold us.
Have you ever stopped to consider that God’s power is displayed by our dependence on him? God is most glorified by dependent creatures. Actually, independence and self-sufficiency are just illusions. In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:24-28). Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). But through Christ, we are more than conquerors, accomplishing things of eternal significance (Romans 8:37, Philippians 4:13)! Make no mistake about it, God is pleased to bring us to an end of ourselves to make us rely on Him (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)! (See also Westminster Confession of Faith: V,5.) Spiritual strength is the amount of grace I depend on in my weakness! So let us boast in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ can be made known (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Peacemakers understand that results and outcomes are in God’s hands. Our job is to trust and obey our heavenly Father, even if we don’t get our way. Into God’s hands we commit our spirits (Psalm 31:5, Luke 23:46). We seek obedience and leave the results to him (Romans 12:18). Peacemakers entrust themselves to a faithful God, knowing that God is good, sovereign, and all-wise (1 Peter 4:19, Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28-29, Romans 11:33).
Picture God delighting in the fruit of his children. While sin grieves God, obedience delights God’s heart (Genesis 6:6, Ephesians 4:30, Tim Challies: Do Not Grieve, Jude 24, Isaiah 62:5). And while our fruit may not be perfect, our imperfect efforts are viewed by God under the perfect obedience of His son (Hebrews 10:14).
May God give you the grace to persevere in love and obedience today.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
– Zephaniah 3:17
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