Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:15
In Colossians 3 Paul is instructing his readers on how to live in peace in the world and with each other in the church. I recommend reading the entire chapter.
Verse 15 is especially meaningful to me. It carries meaning for me in the context of the church and in the context of my personal life.
In the church, we let the peace of God rule by doing the following:
“But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:8-10, 12-14 NASB
In the context of my personal life, to let the peace of God rule in my heart, I need to do all of the above, but there is an extra dimension for me.
As a mom of two young adults, I find myself fretting and losing sleep sometimes as I worry about their futures and their safety. There are many other things besides these that weigh heavy on my mind. It is easy to let these things crowd out the peace of God.
So what is the solution? It's right here in this verse! Be thankful. We let the peace of God rule by turning our hearts toward God in thankfulness. Every time thoughts of discontent or worries come knocking at the door, crowd them out by thinking of all you have to be thankful for.
Instead of worrying if my kids will be safe away from home, I should be thankful they have the opportunity to go and gain independence. Instead of worrying that they might get in a wreck, I should thank God for His past protection and the fact that they are good drivers. Instead of fretting over what their future will bring, I need to be thankful for the time I have had with them and thankful for the time I still do have with them now.
My mind goes down the path of looking at all the negatives and what-ifs. Thanksgiving to God brings the peace of God to my soul. What do you worry about? What makes you fret? Turn those things around and find what you can thank God for instead. Let the peace of God rule!
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