Prepare the Way for Peace

As I was preparing for this series of advent posts, I knew that week one would touch on heavier topics, but I didn't expect how challenging some of the topics would be. However, in order to improve and change, it is necessary to rip off the blinders and expose things that normally stay in the shadows to the light.

After confronting the heartache and brokenness, it is important to take some time for peace. I long for peace in my home and surroundings. Sometimes I do better at finding peace that at other times. Like so many other things in life, peace doesn't come by accident. It requires cultivation and intention.

I cannot control the world around me, but I can control my responses to it. Do my responses promote peace or conflict? Have I found a way to interact with people with differing opinions and beliefs in a way that is respectful and promotes peace?

In "Shadow & Light", Tsh Oxenreider also frames this second week of advent as a week of preparation. It was difficult for me to make a connection between peace and preparation until I recalled that, as part of the Armour of God, we are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)

Peace requires preparation in all aspects of our lives - physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. As we approach this time of new beginnings, take some time to seek peace. Slow down and step away from the chaos of the season to rest in peace.