“When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.” (Proverbs 16:7 NIV)
One way to find peace from your enemies is to please the Lord. When you please God, your enemies make peace. Pleasing God doesn’t mean you are perfect. Pleasing God means you try. Nothing pleases God more than when you believe in His Son:
“Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (John 6:29 NIV)
In other words, the first thing we do that pleases God is believe in Jesus. When we believe Jesus died for our sins, then overcame death on the third day, we please God:
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7 NIV)
One way to find peace from your enemies is to please God. You please God when you trust Jesus.
You please God when you trust Jesus.
Trusting Jesus means you take His advice. As a female, I look for advice from my friends. I know which friends will tell me the truth versus those who tell me what they think I want to hear. Jesus is the friend who always tells me the truth with His gentle love. I know His advice is the one to follow. But Jesus’ advice is the hard way, not the easy way.
Jesus’ way takes work. Me writing these devotionals is work. I feel called by Jesus to write. I started reading through the Bible yearly over 20 years ago. After a few years, I began to journal as well as read. My quiet time grew from 10-15 minutes to 20-30 minutes, then an hour. My devotional writing has become an extension of my quiet time with God every morning. My relationship with God has grown from 10-15 minutes a day to hours. Jesus’ way takes work, but it’s worth it.
Trusting Jesus pleases God, but also changes your life in ways you can never imagine. Your enemies are at peace. Doing the hard work frees you to let go of negative emotions and fill yourself with God’s love:
“and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19 NIV)
When we overflow with God’s love, our enemies can’t help but make peace with us. They will want what they see in us: Jesus. You’re heart’s desire and God’s will become one. As others meet Jesus through you, You’ll rejoice with God. You’ll begin to understand why God was so pleased with you when you first believed.
Question of the Day:
Have you pleased God by trusting in Jesus?
Further Reading: 2 Samuel 13 NIV, John 17:1-26 NIV, Psalm 119:81-96 NIV, Proverbs 16:6-7 NIV
