“And whoever will not receive you . . let your peace return to you.” Matthew 10:13
“Leave your hurt; return to your peace.”
My thoughts today are about “returning to peace.”
A difficult, hurtful situation can leave you with more than you can handle at the time, and then you sometimes carry away the “emotional leftovers” as well, even if you don’t intend to do so. That’s what you often allow to happen when emotional, relational, or spiritual circumstances steal your peace and leave you burdened.
Why hold onto emotional distress that you don’t want or need, and choose to carry that around endlessly? It serves no good; it never improves nor profits your life. Why don’t you lay them aside? People stumble under the needless weight of regret about things they cannot change, worry over matters they do not control, guilt from mistakes they can’t undo, and relational hurts they hold tightly. You may struggle needlessly with things of your past that are only as relevant as you continue to permit them to be.
Sometimes, leftovers just need to be left! “And whoever will not receive you, let your peace return to you, when you depart out of that house or city.” Matthew 10:11-14. Jesus was forthright with His disciples, reminding them that life would not always be as they assumed; people would not always receive them as they should. In those times, they should regain their peace and go their way unencumbered.
No one can take your peace from you, unless you surrender it to them. Does life still hurt? Of course! Would you rather that had not happened to you? Sure. But it does hurt, and it did happen; now what are you going to do? Leave your hurt; return to your peace.
When I was in college, I became confused at school, lacking peace about the direction of my life. I wrote my Dad about my feelings, wanting to come home. I still have that letter with his words of wise counsel written many years ago. Dad advised me, “Lay aside your feelings of the moment and go back to the place in time when you last had peace with God’s will for your life.” That’s where I found peace again.
Here’s practical advice: “If it be possible, as much as rests with you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18. But everything isn’t up to you alone; simply do everything that you can to live peaceably. When you can’t just leave an unpleasant situation, still remember these two things. There is nothing God doesn’t know or care about, that happens to you. Jesus identifies with your hurt and disappointment. There is nothing Jesus will not redeem for His glory. “Blessed are you when men shall . . say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in Heaven . .“ Matthew 5:11-12.
There is peace for you and the promise of, “beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, and praise (in place of) heaviness.” Isaiah 61:1-3. And most of all, there will be extra mercy, strength, truth, and a sufficiency of grace that you will carry you forward with joy and peace, along with a greater, personal revelation of Who God is and what He will do.
My prayer for you today is: have a priceless peace, without the debris that clutters life.