31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 18
One thing about fruit — sometimes you have to work to find it. Take the pomegranate for instance — its exterior surface is hard and inedible. You have to crack the hard shell and go searching for the juicy, yummy stuff.
This world is a hard place to live sometimes. You have to work to find peace — it will require constant effort on your part. But, the fruit of peace is well worth the battle.
Today, I experienced the strangest moment. I feel that God wants me to share it — He must want someone to read this. That’s the only reason I can imagine for what happened.
You see, in order to prepare these posts, I begin by going to Bible Gateway. I perform a key word search and read up on all the Scriptures on my topic until the bloggy inspiration comes. Except this morning, when I did the key word search for “peace,” the web site kept telling that there were “no results.” Friends, I tell you, I tried to search several times in different translations, and I even switched browsers on my computer.
This world was telling me that there was no peace, but I knew better. So, I dug deep and tried to remember a verse that would work for my post, and I searched for it using a key phrase in Google. Sure enough, I found my verse.
Is this world trying to tell you that there is no peace? Keep searching, my friends. You may need to crack through the hard exterior shell and go digging, but the yummy, juicy fruit of peace is there for you.
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“Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.”
I Peter 3:10-11, MSG
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Q4U: Has this world ever tried to tell you that there is no peace? How do you “run after” peace in your daily life?
Thanks for joining me for Day 18!
I’ve had that experience, and know for certain it’s the enemy. Jesus came to bring us peace; he brings peace beyond all understanding. I can tell you I have experienced that to the fullest extent, and it chases away the fiercest of enemies.
I am so thankful that His peace is mine. What a blessing! 🙂
Very clear examples and illustrations of how peace is hard to find! So very thankful that when we find Jesus, we find peace. So many are searching and don’t know where to find it … this reminds me to faithfully pray for those who are searching. (Linking up after you at Faith Filled Friday)
Yes, Cherry! I am praying for several family members who need His peace. So glad you stopped by today. 🙂
Dear Lyli
I think the hardest hindrance to peace and all the fruit of Jesus’ life is that enemy called “Self”. When we learn to stop trying anything in our own power and begin to abide In Jesus, peace will come naturally.
Blessings XX
Mia
Yes, Mia. As we abide in Him, He will fill us with His peace. I am so thankful for this truth. 🙂
Lyli,
Thank you for sharing what God taught you …and peace can be elusive when I lose sight of God & think about the future, but when I turn my eyes back onto Him, and remember He is peace embodied and He loves and cares for me, then I can experience peace…Thank you so much for praying for Guate; I felt your prayers and God was so gracious. Blessings, my friend 🙂
Dolly, thanks for the reminder to keep my eyes focused on Him, and not the circumstances that are seemingly overwhelming. He is my Peace.
Wonderful post, Lyli. “Cultivate good” …. that says it all … it is work. It requires our digging deeper … not just lazily waiting for it to come. I’ve been going through Beth Moore’s study on the book of Daniel and in this week’s lesson she calls us to not be lightweight Christians, but to step-up, persevere, be consistent, etc. That’s cultivating good, isn’t it?
Oh, Pat! I love that Beth Moore! I am doing one of her newer studies with friends right now — it’s a “homework light” study that they put together from one of her weekend speaking engagements from Lifeway. I am enjoying that subject matter though — it’s called “Sacred Secrets.”
I agree with you that there is no room for sluggishness in the life of a disciple. I pray daily for God to put a hunger in my heart for more… that I will always want to keep digging.
Blessings to you (and thanks for hosting Still Saturday!)
AMEN! Lyli – What a powerful & beautiful post! I can still remember the very first time I saw someone eating a pomegranate. I thought it was the strangest fruit indeed. Beautiful analogy and photo! May we always run after Him! Love your 31 Days by the way…
Blessings,
Joanne
Joanne, I am learning a lot by writing this series. So glad that you are enjoying it! (I must confess that I have never actually eaten a pomegranate… but this picture captured my attention when I saw it, and the entire post popped into my head from it.)
This world like us to think there is no peace, or that it is not attainable in our current circumstances. I am so thankful that He is Jehovah Shalom – Our Peace! Thanks for linking up with The Weekend Brew today!
The Prince of Peace is my friend and lives in me! How amazing is that!
Good thinking and sharing. I also LOVE the photo, b/c pomegranates are my favorite fruit. When they are available, I buy several and just live in them. If I was in their growing area, I’d be looking filled with red stuff and have it splashed all over my clothes. You just made me grin.
I must admit that I have never had a pomegranate. But, this picture captured my attention immediately.
Lyli – That verse just shouts at me this morning, “Run after peace for all it’s worth!!”. I was just thinking this morning about how we often want His fruits to just fall effortlessly in our laps…but sometimes we must wrestle for joy, or as scripture tells us, “Run after peace”! How sometimes God asks us to “get up and intentionally walk” towards all He has to offer. Thanks for this post! It was most definitely for me this morning, my friend! 🙂 Blessings, Jen
Jen, I am so thankful that His peace is available to me. But, yes, I have to pursue it… especially in these crazy times where up is down and down is up.
Yes! Keep searching on google! Thankfully we no longer have to search for our Peace, Jesus Christ! Thank you, Lyli, for linking up with me!
Melissa, thanks for hosting Wednesdays in the Word. This was a the craziest day — who would have thought that God would use an internet search to teach me a spiritual truth. He never ceases to amaze me!
I identified with your post this morning, because I could not find a verse about the LORD’s graciousness that I was looking for. (I’m trying to finish a daily devotional book for my youngest daughter for Christmas.)
Esther, I love it that you are being intentional in discipling your daughter. Praying now that the truths in this devotional will drop down into her heart, take root, and flourish into beautiful fruitfulness for her Savior. Hugs