by Robert Fudge

Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

This is God’s recipe for living. If we follow this we will be happy, we will have peace of mind, we will be productive, and we will have friends. We need to make it our goal to be at peace with everyone. To be at peace means we can’t be nit picky about others. It means we can’t be judgmental toward them. It does not mean that we just passively let everything go by and ignore it. Notice that he says we are to warn some and that means we will have to tell them when we believe they are wrong. I once knew a man who told anyone when he thought they were wrong and if he had any enemies, I never knew it. His heart was so full of love and concern for others that even when he warned and corrected and disagreed, you just knew that he was your true friend. As long as he was coherent, he was happy. There were several hundred of his friends who came to pay last respects when he was gone.

But we don’t just dwell on others mistakes and wrongs. We encourage, help and are patient. We don’t try to get even by retaliation; we get even by forgiving and being kind. It is interesting to me that Paul says we are to devote so much of our energy toward others. We lose our selfishness when we focus on others. We lose our self pity when we focus on others. We lose our depression and loneliness when we focus on others. What a difference it would make if we all would be at peace with each other, if we were always patient with each other and we were always kind to each other.

But notice that we don’t have to worry any more either. We just pray about everything and know that God is in control. He will provide our needs, give us strength to go on and heal our wounds if we will pray continually. While there are a lot of things for which to pray, we must be thankful in all circumstances. Almost every instance in the Bible when we are told to pray mentions that it is to be with thanksgiving. If we follow this recipe for living we will be joyful always while helping others along the way.

Dear God, please help me to follow you recipe for living. Give me a forgiving heart. Help me use every opportunity to encourage and help others. As I allow your Spirit to live in me, fill me with your love so that I can be patient. I ask you in a very special way to help me to trust you more. Help me to know your control in my life. Show me that circumstances don’t change your love or your protection. Help me to see opportunities instead of problems. Give me your peace and your joy in my life as I do your will. In Jesus name I pray.

May God bless each of us as we follow his recipe in our life today.