June 18, 2021: The Absence of Conflict Is Only the Beginning of Finding True Peace for Ourselves.

In today's "Our Daily Bread", there is a story about a place in Perth, Australia called the Shalom House, where men and women struggling with addictions go to find help. It is here that staff members introduce them to God's "shalom", which means "peace" in Hebrew.

It is here at the Shalom House, lives crushed under the weight of addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and other destructive behaviors are being introduced to the transforming power of the love of God and the power of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Today so many people, including Christians, who know Jesus as their personal Savior, still struggle with devastating behaviors such as these and more. I was also one who struggled with a "devastating behavior". It was not until after 35 years, as a walking Christian, that I found out that I was trying to fix myself under my "own power" and not allow the "power of the Holy Spirit" to take full control of my life. Read what the Book of Galatians says about this very matter.

Galatians 5: 16-18

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

It wasn't until I came to "complete and absolute surrender" to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that I found the power to change the devastating behaviors in my life...It wasn't until I finally recognized that I did not have the power to change my behaviors, but it was through and only through my surrender to the Holy Spirit in my life, whom was already dwelling within me, could I change. I was helpless to the power of the "flesh" on my own.

Galatians 5: 19

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Central to the transformation message of the Shalom House is the power of the Cross of Jesus Christ. The broken people of Shalom House and from many other organizations helping broken people, discover that through the resurrection of Jesus, they too can find their own lives resurrected. In Christ, we can gain true rest, peace, and healing.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

As stated in today's, Our Daily Bread, "Peace isn’t merely the absence of conflict; it is the presence of God’s wholeness. All of us need this shalom, and it’s only found in Christ and His Spirit". Let us all come to finding the "true rest and peace of God, in surrendering to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.