10/15/2026
PASTORāS THOUGHTS ā¤ļø
Iāve been doing a lot of thinking lately about what it means to live peaceably with others. And I am learning some things right alongside everyone else.
Itās so easy to get wrapped up in our own little bubble. Our own perspective, our own circumstances, our own feelings about what happened and why we feel the way we do. Sometimes weāre so convinced that we see things clearly that we forget thereās another person on the other side of the situation with their own story, experiences, and perspective.
Understanding someone elseās perspective doesnāt mean we have to agree with them. But it does mean being willing to consider that there might be more to the story than what we can see from where weāre standing.
Romans 12:18 says, āIf it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.ā
Iāve been sitting with those words, especially so far as it depends on you.
Thereās a difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping. Sometimes we work so hard to keep the peace that we avoid difficult conversations, ignore our own boundaries, or make ourselves smaller so nobody else gets upset. We start believing that being a good Christian means keeping everybody happy.
But weāre not called to be doormats. For Jesusā¦.or anyone else.
Peacemaking doesnāt mean agreeing with everyone, accepting every behavior, or taking responsibility for someone elseās feelings. Sometimes loving people means having the hard conversation. Sometimes it means setting a boundary. Sometimes it means making a decision someone else doesnāt like while still treating them with love and respect.
We can do our part to make peace, but we cannot make peace all by ourselves.
And hereās the part that might be the most important and I wanted to share ā¦.when I take these things to God, Heās not just dealing with the situation or the other person. Heās dealing with ME.
My heart posture. My reactions. My willingness to receive criticism. My ability to extend grace. The way I love people when things get uncomfortable. My willingness to hold others accountable while still treating them with kindness.
Itās perfectly okay to pray for someone else, to ask God for understanding, or even to ask Him why something is happening. But am I also willing to pray, āGod, show me where I need to grow. Help me see what I might be missing. Check my heart. Help me respond with grace when I need to, stand firm when I need to, and make sure my own actions reflect the person You are calling me to beā?
Because itās possible to spend so much time asking God to work on someone elseās heart that we forget to let Him work on ours. š³
Iām grateful for the people in my life who let me talk things out, ask the hard questions, feel my feelings, and remind me to look at things from another perspective. My therapist, my circle of friends, and yes, a little ChatGPT, too. š Sometimes we all need people who help us slow down and think before we react.
Iām still learning. Still growing. Still trying to see beyond my own perspective. And still learning that standing up for myself and extending grace to others arenāt mutually exclusive.
Maybe thatās part of what faith looks like. Not having all the answers, but being willing to let God work on us right in the middle of the mess.
We canāt control how other people respond. We canāt make everyone understand our decisions. We canāt make everyone happy.
But we can take responsibility for our own words, choices, and actions. We can listen. We can apologize when weāre wrong. We can set healthy boundaries. We can choose kindness without abandoning honesty.
And we can keep bringing our own hearts before God, asking Him to help us get our part right.
A little more grace. A little more accountability. A little more willingness to see things from someone elseās perspective. And a little less need to be right.
I think we could all use that reminder. Me included. ā¤ļø
God Bless You~ PT
