When we know what our values are, it is easy to choose from the available options. Harmony is good and pleasant but disharmony is evil and unpleasant. Harmony is refreshing and empowering but disharmony is exhausting and oppressive. Harmony opens the door to blessings but disharmony opens the door to curses. Harmony leads to life but disharmony leads to death. Choose Harmony.
Isn't it foolish to allow the most things to suffer for the least important things? Without argument, the most important thing in life, next to life itself, is our relationship with God. The next most important thing is our relationship with one another. The bridge that connects these two is harmony. On the contrary, two of the least important things in life are offences and pleasures. Unless we know our values, it is so easy to sacrifice our relationship with God and one another on the altar of offences and pleasures. Wisdom demands that we do everything in our power to get rid of the least important things that tend to put our most important things in jeopardy.
Are your choices and behaviours controlled by offences? Do you quickly put aside relationships when it comes to satisfying personal gratifications?
When we make choices on the basis of either what offends or pleases us, we are not merely grieving the Spirit of God and cutting ourselves off from the blessings of God that come through harmony with other people, we are also giving the devil free access into our lives and running the risk of missing eternity with God should we die in that state. (Heb 12:14. Mark 11:35-26).
In addition to the listed, offences and strife have other other consequences. They hinder our prayers, destroy our immunity to sicknesses and diseases, robs us of our peace of mind and hurts our wellbeing among others. Why risk so much for so little?
What is really important to you? - winning an argument or winning a relationship? Agreement is better than disagreement. Love is better than hate. Unity is better than disunity. Peace of mind is better than war and the bitterness and strife that go with it. Health is better than sickness and diseases that are rooted in offences. Blessing is better than curses and life is better than death. Choose harmony: it brings unity, peace and love.
I am aware that most of us want to enjoy the benefits of living in harmony but the challenge is that we are too often overpowered by the pleasure of winning our fighting for justice. The key, I found, is determining the object of your pleasure: God or self. The grace to resist the devil's baits of offences and sinful pleasures does not come from willful determination but from our submission to God. The moment I made a quality decision to please God and submit to His commandment to forgive, I began to enjoy supernatural joy and strength on my inside. It became easy obey God and not go to bed angry. The best part is that it works regardless of what others do or don't do.
Therefore, choose harmony even others refuse to cooperate just because you want to please God. Obeying God may be demanding at first but it is rewarding in the end. Haven’t you realized that many of the opportunities that God brings our way are nothing but exciting at first? Some of the people and things that once upset us can turn out to be our vision helpers. On the other hand, many of the pleasures we love to pursue are always exciting at first but costly in the end.
Friend, it is wise to choose harmony. Remember, if we don't forgive we will not be forgiven. If we are not forgiven we are unholy and troubled. Without peace and holiness no one shall see God. Peace is for peacemakers and mercy is for mercy givers. Therefore, guard yourself against the pain of regret by choosing to live in harmony. Do yourself a favour and set yourself free from the prison of offences. Make that choice today to enjoy life with the blessings of God that come from living at peace with God and man. Have a week full of peace and pleasantness! Jesus is Lord!
Pastor Peter Okaka | FreshWater Christian House | In Kitchener Waterloo Ontario
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