Active Peace

This week I have been working on a project for work and part of it is looking up quotes that our Nobel Laureates have said from print, interviews, blogs, etc. It has been cool and exciting to read them because I am a lover of quotes and they are such beautiful inspiring words! As I was reading them I was struck by one of the resounding themes that peace is not passive, it is an active process in which we are a part of daily. Well, this really got me thinking about God's peace and just our mindset as Christians in general.

I know that my mindset has been sometimes that peace just seems so fluffy or passive, like it is a non-action word. When really it is just the opposite. I don't know about you, but peace doesn't typically come out as a natural human response. Peace doesn't usually look like me doing nothing (because even if action isn't present, attitude is). No Peace is much more than that, it is an active choice to be in the spirit, to submit our will and our way to a much better one, God's will and way.

In Galatians 5, it says Walk in the spirit...not sit, not just expect it to happen, no we are actively walking in the spirit. It later says we are led by the spirit, again we are not just sitting and waiting, hoping our hearts change. No we are submitting to the one that can change our hearts. In Philippians it says the things that you have seen, heard, learned, and received-practice them and the God of peace will be with you. In Colossians 3 he says Put on these things patience, compassion, peace, etc. These are action words.

It is time that we look at our walk with the Lord seriously, we must stop expecting to have complete and radical change in our life without the work of sanctification on our hearts and minds. This isn't a passive change process, it is one that we must work at and strive toward daily. Please don't misunderstand me and think that I am saying we do the work.... God makes it clear that He causes the growth, but we have an active part in the change process too.

So Go, Walk in the Spirit, Put these things into practice, and put on the characteristics of God through Him and for Him.