Let the peace of Christ rule

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15

These words from the Apostle Paul serve as a grace-filled reminder, challenging me to live in a way that is more about letting go than holding on. Specifically, as he concludes, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts....” The verb let pertains more to something we allow rather than something we enforce.

I’m learning that peace becomes the default posture of those who have truly clothed themselves with what Paul articulates in the verses prior: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. In other words, peace is what Jesus longs to give us—but can only do so to the extent that we elect to follow Him in the Way Everlasting. Each of these traits (or metaphorical clothing items) is adorned within our hearts as we abide in Him. (John 15)

Ultimately, to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts involves the surrender of all that we are to all that He is, because the only way we can let anything happen is by yielding to it. Yielding to Christ merits His peace in our hearts—not only on the other side of the challenges we face, but right in the midst of them.

~em

Photo credit: Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash