Page 15 - MyFaith Mag February 2017 PRINT

said, “I want you to go apologize and ask for his forgiveness.”

I said, “But God, he started it! Dave should be the first one to say he’s sorry!”
The Lord was asking me to be the peacemaker, regardless of what Dave did or didn’t
do. He wanted me to see how taking this action brings unity and allows Him to bring
healing in our relationships. Conversely, if we always wait for the other person to apolo-
gize or be the peacemaker, we actually harm ourselves and hinder the potential for
peace.

The Lord instructs us to pursue peace with others and “seek it eagerly” (1 Peter 3:11
AMPC). It’s not always easy, but as we take steps to follow God’s Word in this area, it
opens the door for Him to bless us in so many ways.

One of my favorite examples is the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot. Genesis
chapter 13 tells us how they each had a tremendous number of livestock. In fact, their
possessions were so great that there wasn’t enough land for both of them, and it inevi-
tably led to strife. But look at how Abraham handled the situation: “Abram said to Lot, Let
there be no strife, I beg of you, between you and me, or between your herdsmen and
my herdsmen, for we are relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, I
beg of you, from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you choose
the right hand, then I will go to the left” (Genesis 13:8-9 AMPC). Because of Abraham’s
willingness to keep peace in the family, the Lord blessed him abundantly. In verses 14-
17, God says to Abraham: “Lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you
are...for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your posterity forever. And I
will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the
dust of the earth, then could your descendants also be counted. Arise, walk through
the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you.” I encourage you
to apply this lesson to your own life. Maybe somebody’s trying to stir up strife and you
find yourself in a situation like Abraham’s. If so, let peace begin with you, even if you
know you’re right.
No person or relationship is perfect, and there will always be things to work through.
However, when you make a firm decision to pursue peace, you can quench the spirit of
strife and put a stop to conflicts before they ever really begin. And remember, even if no
one else notices, God always sees. And when you choose to do what’s right because
it’s right, He will reward you in some of the most marvelous ways.

Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author
and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has au-
thored more than 100 books, including Battlefield of
the Mind and Overload: How to Unplug, Unwind and
Unleash Yourself from the Pressure of Stress (Hachet-
te). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life programme,
which airs on FaithAfrica (DSTV341) weekdays at 09:00
& 21:00.

For more information visit www.joycemeyer.org.