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Here is a powerful January 21 prayer to read and reflect on now, or save for later.
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Find the January blessings reading plan (with a free printable) here.
Bible verse for January 21 Prayer
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9 NIV)
Reflection For Our January 21 Prayer from 1 Peter 3:9
As a Christian, I always thought it was my job to maintain peace. Another way this can be said is “treat people how you want to be treated,” which is true. It’s the Golden Rule, right?
It definitely is, but treating people how we want to be treated goes further than maintaining peace. It is only two verses after 1 Peter 3:9 that it says, “they must seek peace and pursue it.” (1 Peter 3:11.)
Those are two bold words: seek and pursue. Yes, we go above and beyond the average person when we work hard to maintain peace in our chaotic world. But are we constantly seeking and pursuing peaceful actions?
I had a pastor say once that the best way to know where your heart was at peace-wise was your instinct reaction when someone cuts you off in traffic. What is your knee-jerk reaction when you feel wronged?
When 1 Peter 3:9 speaks about not repaying insult for insult, this could apply to many scenarios. With our example of being cut in traffic (an insult,) is our gut reaction to insult them back? Even if they can’t hear you, God can.
Questions for your January 21 Prayer
- What does seeking peace look like in your life right now?
- What is the difference between simply “keeping the peace” versus pursuing peace?
- Think of the last few times you were wronged. What type of blessing could you have provided in response? How can you make sure you do this in the future?
January 21 Prayer
Dear God, Help me to shake up the norms of our society by being a peace seeker and a peace pursuer. Allow me the creativity to always pay back wrongs with blessings, even if the world will never understand. Amen.
Resource of the Day
An explanation of the book Downpour: “Are you caught in another of life’s storms? Stuck, with no sign of shore and feeling lost, wondering how you got here and if you’ve been forgotten here in the fury of the storm. Are you tired of fighting the wind and the waves but not getting anywhere? Embark on a 30-day journey of finding God in the dark places and learning the lessons He is trying to teach you through the storm.” – Cheyenne Hasty.
Find Downpour below or click here to learn more.
