Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (ESV)
In this verse a heart of gratitude is somehow related to the peace of God ruling in our heart. Does peace lead to bring thankful? Does being thankful lead to peace? I'm not sure. Maybe both are true. They are clearly connected here. The way the passage develops I am inclined to understand this passage to say that experiencing God's peace moves us to gratitude.
That raises the bigger question of how we experience God's peace. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body." Three things seem to be clear from this verse. 1. God's peace is rooted in the truth that leads up to this verse. Verse 2 says to set our minds on things above. Verses 3 & 4 tell us that our life, as believers, is hidden in Christ who is our life. Verses 5-10 tell us that we have put off the old self and that the new self, that is who we are in Christ, is being renewed in knowledge after the image of our creator. Verses 11-14 remind us that in Christ we are holy. The call is then to live out that holiness, letting God's peace rule in our hearts (vs 15). In other words, God's peace is not something we chase after and try to find. Neither is it something we try hard to produce. Rather, it is something we let in as we realize and believe who we are in Christ.
2. This peace of God that rules in our hearts is not just personal peace. It is also corporate peace. That is, when God's peace is ruling in our hearts we not only experience peace within our hearts and minds, it also flows out into our relationships with others. Inner peace produces outer peace. We can more easily forgive, give the benefit of the doubt, look past imperfections and truly love when we are experiencing God's peace internally. Inner peace produces outer peace.
3. When God's peace is ruling in our hearts we turn naturally to giving thanks. When we give thanks our hearts find peace. It's not a vicious circle, it's a blessed circle, a blessed circle of peace and gratitude.
Father, too quickly and too easily my heart is distracted by the problems of this world. Today may my mind be set on things above, trusting you and walking in peace and thanksgiving.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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