Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:14–15
I believe the goal of every church is to see its congregation united by love and ruled by the peace of Christ. Our mission statement says to love God and to love others. Looking at this verse from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he puts love as the important characteristic that needs to be present in a believer’s life.
Paul then goes on to command us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. We live in strange times where anxiety, stress, and despair seem to rule the day. However, we, who were once enemies with God, are now reconciled to Him and that should give us a peace that is reflected in the world and the body of Christ – the church.
He closes this verse telling us to be grateful. In our world today, we find that people are often the very opposite of grateful. We’ve become a people that are entitled, and expect and demand more while overlooking the many blessings that God gives us.
The power to love, the reign of peace, and a heart of thanksgiving all come from God. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul says “… 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”