Missing Peace?

Luke 19:42, "If you had known...in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes"

I wonder how many times we have missed peace in our lives because we missed the things that God was showing us? Can you think of a time when everything should have been better than it was? I mean, those times when you were where you thought you needed to be and yet you were still missing the peace that God has promised?

Jesus made it very clear to the Jewish people. They missed the things that make for their peace because it was hidden from their eyes. What has God been trying to point out to you? What has God put His finger on in your life to say - "If you will remove this from your life you could have peace" - but you still hang on to it?

Is it pride? Is it a critical attitude? Is it a lack of faith? It may not be what we would call a "gross sin", but rather it could be a bad attitude. Be careful of anything that will hinder your peace. Be careful of anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God in your life. Don't miss the piece that makes for your peace.

There have been times in my life when I felt so sure that I was doing the Lord's will, I was following His Word, I was fulfilling His calling on my life but there was something missing. I did not have the joy that I should have had, I did not have the peace that passes all understanding, I did not have that stillness of soul that comes from obeying God. Why? Because I continued to "carry" things in my life that the Lord had pointed out. I was unwilling to change my attitude. I was unwilling to cast out the sin in my life. Therefore, I could not enjoy what was new in my life because I was still holding on to the old.

If there is one thing that I have figured out it's this: Deal with the things that God points out. Gladly remove those things that continue to bind you and "the sin which so easily besets you". You may not have realized it before, but you can carry things with you into every situtation that God places you in. And in that place you will once again be robbed of the joy and peace that God wants for you.

This is why pastors move from church to church. Every new situtation turns out the same as the old, because they have never dealt with the things that came up in the old situation. This is why church members hop from church to church. They think it's a church problem when it's really a personal problem. They carry with them this critical attitude, this hampering sin, and they can never find contentment in any church.

I pray that your eyes would be open. God wants to bless you, but you have to be willing to let go of some things. I hope that today you will see the things that make for your peace. I hope that you not only see them but act on them. May you enjoy the peace that God has for you.