September 18, 2018
Love Lives Here
Creating a Home that Combats Chaos and Practices Peace Every Day
Kathi Lipp
Today’s Truth
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:26-28, NIV).
Friend to Friend
For years, home was not my happy place. There were tense words, loud conversations, lots of noise, and a whole bunch of chaos. I remember thinking, “When these kids grow up…When my husband is nicer…When we have more money…things will calm down.”
But peace isn’t determined by our circumstances; it’s determined by the way we respond with God’s help to those circumstances. God sent His Son so we could experience peace, not just in the quiet of life, but also when chaos hits.
If you are approaching your home with dread at the end of the day, perhaps your place needs a peace makeover, like mine did. Here are a few things you can be intentional about when it comes to creating a peace-filled home:
Speak Words that Build Peace
So much of what determines our level of peace is the choice of words we use in our home. Are we speaking words of respect and kindness? Are we lifting up the people we live with? How can you build into the lives of those you love with an “I love you!” and “I’m proud of you!” A “You make me happy!” and “I forgive you”?
And it is not just the words we speak, it is the words we allow into our home. Carefully consider TV programs, music, and especially sites you visit on the internet. All of those words that come into your home can promote or tear down peace within your four walls.
Create a Home that Promotes Peace
One of the main biblical definitions of peace when translated from the Greek includes "to be complete or whole" or "to live well." A home that promotes peace is one where healthy food is served, clutter is controlled, systems are in place and people are cared for. These may feel like the everyday acts of a woman just keeping her home running, but really, they are the hundreds of small decisions we can make every day to promote peace and live whole lives in our homes:
Create meal plans for healthy eating.
Put things away when we are done using them.
Balance our bank account.
Pay our bills.
Invite others over to share a meal.
Serve our neighbors when there is a crisis.
Tend to a garden.
Be a Woman Who Promotes Peace
When someone insults me online, on the phone, or even in the line at the grocery store, I need to commit deliberate, defiant acts of peace toward that person. Those acts of peace can be, depending on the situation and the person, quick forgiveness, kind words to quench the hurt, or praying for them instead of responding. Peace is not powerlessness but refusing to give someone else the power over your response.
As you drive home tonight, think about what feeling you have as you approach your front door. Is it relief that you are finally home and have a soft place to land, or do you hesitate because inside your house carries the same amount of chaos as the rest of the world?
If peace doesn’t meet you at the door, make the decision to be someone who doggedly pursues peace in your home starting today.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for making peace possible in every circumstance. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to make peace a reality on this side of heaven. Let me be a peacemaker within my home and outside of its walls.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What is one thing you could do to promote peace within your home today?
More from the Girlfriends
Looking to win the war of contentment? Join us at the Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group to learn to live with less and increase the peace in your home.
Seeking God?
GirlfriendsInGod.com
Click here to learn more about hosting a Girlfriends in God conference in your area or having one of the GiGs speak at your next women's event.
Originally published Tuesday, 18 September 2018.
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