Sown in Peace

"Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." ~James

Make peace. Now there's a concept. How many times have I been at war with myself when all I had to do was make peace with the circumstances and people in my life? There have been times when I've struggled with the past and realized that I can't change it. Therefore, I have two options. I could make peace with it or I could continue beating myself up and planting seeds of guilt and self-doubt in my present. What kind of fruit is sown in strife? I know the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace! That's what I want.

How does one make peace with the past? I suppose it starts with faith. When I asked God to forgive me for all the crap I'd done, I believe with all my heart that He did! The hard part was forgiving myself for the things I'd done. I'm eternally grateful that God is capable of forgiving and forgetting my sin.  I'm also extremely thankful that, although I am capable of forgiving, I am not yet capable of forgetting. I don't want to ever forget any of the lessons I learned from having to make peace.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." ~Jesus