Put in the Effort // Hebrews 12:14

Today’s verse is one I typically read with a smirk on my face. The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to “make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.” The smirk comes from thinking about making the effort. We don’t really want it to be difficult do we? Yet it is. And what happens when we run into conflict with other people, particularly in the church? We tend to flee. I think that grieves God. Being Christians doesn’t mean we will never disagree, but it means we must disagree differently…hence the call to holiness. This is about loving God and others and trusting the reconciling power of God’s gracious mercy. So how is it going with getting along with others? I encourage you not to instinctively give up and flee, but pursue God’s holiness and see the difference it makes in your life and in the lives of others, even in those times when living in peace takes extra effort.