Peace

Sneak Peak: Protecting your peace requires action on your end.

So far, I’ve been doing a lot more to protect my peace. I remember Pastor Jerry Flowers, Jr. describing drama and how it’s in your life (if anyone can find the sermon again, please share it.) To paraphrase, drama isn’t something that just comes. He said if you have drama in your life, either you:

1. Create drama

2. Bring drama to every situation

3. Associate with people who start drama

As a living witness, I can say he preached the truth! What about rough seasons? Isn’t that drama? I think we confuse drama with tribulations. Let’s define the two: Drama is a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces. Tribulation is the cause of great trouble or suffering.

As a living witness, I can say he preached the truth! What about rough seasons? Isn’t that drama? I think we confuse drama with tribulations. Let’s define the two: Drama is a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces. Tribulation is the cause of great trouble or suffering.

Life is Hard

Life has tribulations. You can get hit by a drunk driver and it can cause you tribulations being stuck with medical bills, or a death in the family. You may lose your job and now have to suffer financial loss while searing for your next opportunity. We can’t avoid tribulations life brings us.

Drama, on the other hand, can be avoided. You can protect your peace by reducing or eliminating drama from your life. If you want to protect your peace, you need to take action. Romans 12:18 reminds us that it is up to us to be peaceable with all.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Monitor Your Social Media

Do you need to monitor your social media?

This includes YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. LinkedIn is becoming the new Facebook for professionals. I was on LinkedIn a few weeks ago and saw a black professional group post a derogatory meme attacking black Christians. Ironically, the poster asked people to be respectful (yet they disrespected an ethnic group and a belief system.) I could’ve said something. Instead, I unfollowed the page and kept it moving. How many of us should do that? Do you need to clean up some YouTube channels you follow? What about unfollowing content, friends, or removing things from your feed?

Monitor Your Interest Groups (Including the Christian Ones)

I’m all for fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible tells us the importance of fellowship (Hebrews 10:25). What I’m not for are is sticking around groups that are not God serving, or bring negativity to my life. This year, I had to remove myself from two abstinence groups I was a part of. The groups began to tear us apart as believers and they were no longer God serving. Sometimes, we need to be bold enough to walk with Christ alone. Other times, we need to be okay removing ourselves from that women’s group that bashes men all day long, but claims to be “Christlike”. Yes, Christian groups do this, too. Trust me. I used to promote the negativity until I saw how it affected my view of men—something God created.

Monitor Your Friends

We can’t choose our family (more on this), but we choose our friends. For some reason, we feel the need to hold onto friends because of “history”. Sometimes, you outgrow your friends. Not every friend will be in the next season of your life with you. I have some friends for the past 10 years! I know these people are my friends because they bring the best out of me. Other fiends were seasonal. They taught me a lesson, or they were good, for the moment. Friendship isn’t perfect. Friends should bring the best out of you, not the worst out of you. Why? Your company corrupts your character (1 Corinthians 15:33). Ask yourself, “Do my friends bring the best out of me?”

 Monitor Your Family

Family is a touchy subject for some of us. Take it from me, I have “2%ers” in my family. These are the people who I’ve gotten close to over the years, and they accept me for who I am. I can be honest with them. Then, I have the 98%ers, they’re the ones I have to say, “I love the Lord” to and keep it moving. Unpopular opinion: it’s okay to set boundaries with your family. Some family you don’t have to welcome to your home because you know that you can’t be around the drama. Some family you have to limit your phone calls with because you know that you don’t want to hear the non-stop complaining. You may have seasons when you have to separate yourself from some family members to grow. You can’t pick you family, but you can maintain your peace with them.

Monitor Yourself

What if the issue is you?

I hate to say this. What if I told you that the issue is you? Yikes! Someone had to tell you. Sometimes, you’re the one who creates drama wherever you go. Sometimes you’re the one who turns something that didn’t need drama into beef. Sometimes you’re the one who chooses to associate with people who bring drama in your life. Before we can check other people, we have to check ourselves (Matthew 7:3-5). We have to hold ourselves accountable.

What are other ways you keep your peace? Let me know in the comments. Keep it positive and true! Until next time. -Brittany