Ever since being home I’ve heard the question “What was the biggest thing you learned over your year?” about a hundred times. And I would always give the same answer (because it was the truth).
Tonight as I was sitting enjoying a cup of coffee with some of my friends they asked me that same question. But this time the answer hit me differently.
Peace.
That’s the biggest thing I learned this past year on the Race. Plain and Simple.
It might not seem that profound to you, but as it hit me tonight it sunk deeper then I ever imagined. I know that going on the Race I was going to learn and grow as an individual more then I could ever grasp or imagine at the beginning. But I would NEVER have told you what I was going to walk away with was peace.
Peace.
Peace in who I am in the Lord.
Peace with me.
Peace with life circumstances.
Peace with family drama.
Peace with a hard diagnosis.
Peace with the Lord’s plan.
Peace when the storm is raging.
Peace.
How many of us miss truly finding peace in our lives?
As the late Doctor Adrian Rodgers put it peace is an incredibly essential part in our growth journey with the Lord.
He gave five steps on the journey of faith saying,
“Grace is God’s acceptance of me.
Faith is my acceptance of God.
Peace is my acceptance of me.
Love is my acceptance of you.
And Fellowship is your acceptance of me.”
What happens is we miss the third piece and jump right into loving and fellowshipping. But I believe that peace with ourselves is CRUCIAL in being able to love others well.
Why we think we can love others well without loving ourselves first boggles my mind?
I don’t mean we have to wake up every single day and love EVERYTHING about us. But to have peace within yourself will allow you and open you up to new and deeper levels of LOVE.
So my question to you is,
Does peace (of the Lord) reign in your life?
If so, I challenge you to get out there and LOVE LOVE LOVE those around you.
If not, seek the Lord and let Him reveal His supernatural peace to you.
