Give thanks to live in peace!

I hope that you had a great weekend. A holiday like Memorial Day that we have here in America is a great kick-off for the summer. I time to enjoy friends and family and to simply relax. It is also a time to reflect.

Winston Churchill once said, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The cost of freedom is very high. Many have died for the freedoms we have to speak, worship, own property and so on. It is important that we remember and honor those who have sacrificed so much for us. Take a few moments to think about how many of people it takes to secure your freedoms. Not only are those who have died but those who protect us on a daily basis, fire companies, police, active military, and government officials to name a few. Paul wrote 1 Timothy 2 that we should pray for those in authority so we might have a peaceable life. He did not say pray for them if we agree, or if we like them, or if we even get along with them but that we should pray for them always. Types of government come and go, kings, presidents, prime ministers come and go but God does not waver or change. If we look at the several thousand years of human history we have recorded we see that the only constant is God.

If we honor God in all that we do. If we do as He asks of us. We are promised peaceful lives. Peace is not merely a reflection of our surroundings but is an inner work of God. God is peace, just as He is love. All of the fruit of the Spirit is a reflection of the very nature of God. Our ability to trust God enables us to live in a world of peace, love, and joy, but only to the extent that we truly believe it. The police, military, or government officials don’t have to be the nicest people in order for us to live peaceably with them. Our peace comes from our obedience to God and our trusting in Him. God raises up governments, leaders, bosses, and all of those in authority and He also has the ability to put them back down again. Our peace is therefore not dependent on who is in power but how surrendered we are to the ultimate power and authority in the universe, God.

One way that I have found to keep my mind on the right focus and to keep the correct attitude is to maintain and “attitude of gratitude”. We give thanks not because everything around us is perfect but we give thanks because we have learned to trust God, knowing that our lives are in His hands.

I know Memorial Day is over but it is always good to take time to give thanks for those who give us our freedoms. Ultimately it is God is who grants us our freedoms however He uses people as well. Always maintain an attitude of gratitude and give thanks!