Ready:
“Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace.” —Psalm 85:10
Set:
Is it possible to be an athlete or coach with a sense of calm and peace? With all the activity surrounding competition, every minute is intense, emotions wear thin, expectations run high and relationships get strained. The practices, the travel, sometimes competing several times in one day or over a weekend, the sacrifices made by family and the cost to participate. It all adds up. It’s a stress filled time. There seems to be no peace and calm. Where do we go to find peace? What do we do? Who do we turn to to find peace?
Finding peace in the midst of all of this seems hard and maybe even impossible. There is Someone very significant who not only helps us find peace but is Himself peace. It’s Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah said of Jesus, “He shall be called Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He is the One who brings internal and external peace. He navigates, guides and provides peace for us. He brings peace between us and God in heaven. He brings peace between us and others.
When Jesus came to earth, He came as the righteous One from the Father in heaven. He grants us His righteousness. The reason His righteousness is so necessary and incredible regarding peace is that both of these are stuck together. David wrote in Psalm 85:10, “righteousness and peace will embrace.” That’s right! There is such a dynamic and intimate connection with righteousness and peace. In order to find and have peace, one must live and act righteously. When we do right things, peace becomes a reality. It’s not just to do things right, it’s to do right things.
Right things have to do with our motive and attitude. These bring about aspects of peace. Having the right motive and attitude opens wide the door for peace on the inside as well as peace on the outside. Right words bring peace, not division. Right actions lead to peaceful conclusions.
One direct and helpful statement from Jesus was this, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heard be troubled or fearful” (John 14:27). The Prince of Peace, the One who brings peace between us and God, who gives us peace for each other, gave us His peace. This is how we find peace. We find it in Him and we then can find it within ourselves.
Go:
Discuss the stress you experience each day surrounding competition?
Have you ever experienced internal peace that can only come from Jesus?
Examine your motives and attitudes. Do you have right motives and right attitudes that lead to peace and righteousness?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for being my peace. I often struggle to find it on my own. Help me know the way to act with righteousness so that peace is right there with me. Thank You for giving Your peace to me. I need it. In Jesus’ name, amen.”