Now What? (Philippians 4:6-7)

The argument has finished but emotions are still running high. Apologies have been made to each other. And yet the sting of the episode is still raw. Now what?

This is the most difficult part-the aftermath of an argument. This has nothing to do with the other person. This is not about being right or wrong, or getting the last point. It is not about getting even or making the other person feel your pain. It is about surrendering the entire situation to God. If you have truly apologized to the person and have humbled yourself before God and confessed your sins, you wait and trust God to take care of the situation.

We don’t like to wait. We want action. We especially want it when our adrenaline is flowing, our hearts are racing and pounding, and our bodies are trembling. We need to find a way to release this tension. God knows that. This is why God promises us His peace.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

The Holy Spirit uses the word peace over 350 times in the Bible and over 90 times in the New Testament. God is peace and He wants us to enjoy it, claim it, and live it.

But a wound, particularly a fresh wound, is vulnerable and subject to further damage. In the body, when a wound occurs, the time of greatest danger, when a wound is weakest and can reopen, is by days 3 to 4. It is during this period, that the tissue repair is at its weakest and even a minimal amount of stress can cause great damage, sometimes even greater than the original injury.

Although our spirits are not made of the same flesh and blood, they are still vulnerable to further damage, particularly within a few days of the initial argument. A whisper of the triggering issues, unresolved issues on behalf of both parties, even an unrelated issue can reopen the wound in our spirits, at the critical time that God is working His healing and we need a time of separation. We must guard against this recurrence. For some of us, this may be difficult as we must work or live with the person with whom we had the initial argument. But God is calling us to peace. And if we do not claim this peace in His name, we will doubt the very power and omnipotence of God in our lives.

God created us as passionate and emotional beings. But we are all sinners and sometimes this passion leads to conflicts, particularly with those who are closest to us. Thank God for creating you and ask Him to transform your passions to serve Him and enjoy His peace.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.