The Aroma of ChristSample

Day 6: Let us be a Fragrance of Peace

John MacArthur, in his book, “The Pillars of Christian Character,” said: “The starting point for true peace is peace with God.” Living in peace with everyone is not so easy to achieve, especially in stages of life when the world seems to be collapsing. For us, it may be impossible, but if we let God take control, it will be possible. We must strive to seek the peace that the Lord gives, the one that is not like that of the world, the one that surpasses all understanding. When we find peace with God and peace within ourselves, it will be easier to radiate the love of Christ. That is why it is very important that we work to create a culture of peace in our homes, with our husbands, and with our children. We must teach them to depend on God and find rest in Him.

The Bible doesn't promise that everything will be easy and that every time we confront something or someone everything will be calm and peaceful, but it does tell us that if we work for peace, we will be called daughters of God. This is not because of our merits, my friend, but because of the fruit of the Spirit that is within us, those of us who have professed Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit releases within us an aroma that undoubtedly reflects Christ so much that others will know we belong to God.

Our testimony will impact those around us. We must be intentional, make wise decisions, and carry them out in a way that allows us to live in harmony and peace with our neighbors, with God, and with ourselves. This is tremendous, since we must sacrifice our pride, although our flesh doesn't want to. But if we submit to God, He will make it possible. Let's not accept things that are wrong or hurt us; let's learn to use wisdom to make our opinions count.

Beloved, it is easy to be impatient, but not everyone keeps the peace.

Let's pray. Dear Lord, thank you. It is sometimes hard to hear the truth. This is what you want us to do. You want us to submit to you, to your spirit, to your guidance. You want us to be intentional. You want us to wait and make decisions wisely not based on our emotions. Help us to put our emotions under your feet so you can wash everything in our souls, including our emotions, and we can use them for your glory and honor. Thank you for your peace. In the name of Jesus, amen.