Finding God’s Peace in Light of Your Past // Philippians 4:9

Philippians 4:9 (NIV) | Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Today’s verse is one that inspires me. The Apostle Paul, who wrote the letter we know as Philippians, was not setting himself up as the paragon of virtue. He had plenty of red in his proverbial ledger, but found the forgiving grace of God through Jesus that radically transformed his life. He wanted the same for his readers. If they were struggling to find out how someone who once was so far lost could be a warrior of the faith, he said look at my life. It’s true for all of us! Our messes can be our greatest messages, so people know that God is real, loves us in spite of our pasts, and has a purpose for our future. Satan wants to try and convince you your old life disqualifies you from glory, so this is why we must be born again into the new creation of God. When we do that — realizing ever saint has a past and every sinner has a future — then we can live into the peace God has in store for all!