Peace Pursuers Guest Post by Amy Menter

Maria I. MorganBlog Archive, Understanding God's Plan

Guest Post by Amy Menter


We’re continuing to take a look at ‘peace’ today – the third characteristic listed in the fruit of the Spirit detailed in Galatians 5:22. I’ve asked Amy Menter, Christian counselor and my good friend, to share her heart on this relevant topic.

So pour yourself a cup of your favorite hot beverage and join me as I welcome Amy on today’s blog. Let her encouragement and the Scriptures references inspire you to pursue peace with passion.

Peace Pursuers


Seek peace, and pursue it.Psalm 34:14

I’ve been so restless lately. Not anxious, sleepless or unsatisfied, but urgently and spiritually restless. Stirred in my spirit for something greater, wanting what I do today to matter in eternity for the Lord. I’ve been pressing toward the high calling of God, feeling constrained at times, but not necessarily limited. 

I believe there is more of Christ and more for Christ I can experience. I’ve prayed for His presence, power, and purposes to be accomplished in my current pursuits, places and people groups, but I also need His peace. I need peacefulness, not restlessness.

Peace is a noun that I often want to function as a verb.

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 I want it to do something for me.  I need it to be a guiding force over my path, a victorious settler in my relationships, and a spiritual answer to my prayers. But more often than not, I find it’s an elusive noun that is hard to find and quick to leave.

Peace-quenching questions


It’s often attacked with questions like:

Am I really making a difference?

Is the Lord working through my life for His glory?

Am I doing enough?

Are my places of service significant?

Are they really impacting eternity the way God wants them to?

Are others seeing Christ through me?

How can I be in the right pursuits, places or people groups, if I pray for someone to lead to the Lord and come up empty handed days unnumbered?

How can this be the right path for my life when I used to do be or do thus and so?

Wouldn’t there be more fruit, growth or glory for God if I was doing this, or giving that, or serving over there?

Many of these questions may be good questions at face value. At the very least, they are discerning and piercing questions we’d all do well to ask ourselves occasionally. But right now, if I allow it, these questions will continue down a path that will mock any form of peace I can find.

 More important than finding the answers


Finding peace is a command for me (see Psalm 34:14 & I Peter 3:11). Peace is something I must pursue.  Pursuing it requires me to be seeking for, striving after, desiring, and searching out by any method the peace I need. These are the verbs that lead to peace. These are the actions I need in my life, not the ones I tend to pursue, like doubting, questioning, pressuring or devaluing myself and the significance of my daily service.     

 I’m reminded that all service matters for the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58) and that none of it is in vain. God can use us long after we’ve forgotten what we’ve even offered. 

Like a song my pastor’s daughter once sang in the early 1990’s, when she was searching for peace about moving out of state and away from her family and the church she loved so much. The lyrics echoed beautifully from her tear-stained heart, “The only real peace that I have, dear Lord, is in you.” 

Little would she have known that her ministry of song that night would reach this far into the future to remind me that….

Peace is a Person


Peace is a Person, and Jesus Christ is His name.

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Peace is found only in Him.  Peace is mine because the Sovereign Lord walks with me, and has a perfect plan for each day of my life. His plan is weaving His story through my life. What is done for Christ when today is past, will last. 

He will be guiding my path, victoriously settling my relationships, and faithfully providing answers to my prayers for today, tomorrow and eternity, and that really does matter to Him.

Real peace is not found in a pursuit, place or people group. It’s NOT when I’ve reached a certain ministry, mainland, or marriage level that more of His peace comes, but it is now. . .

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.2 Thessalonians 3:16
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.Philippians 2:13
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name. . . Hebrews 6:10

Your turn


Are you experiencing peace? Or is it only an elusive verb? What step will you take today to pursue the Person of Peace – Jesus Christ?

Can I pray for you?

Heavenly Father, Thank You for showing me You are the One I need to pursue. Forgive me when I look for peace in the wrong places. It’s only in seeking You, I find peace. Help me find peace in You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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More About Amy


Amy Menter is a wife of 26 years, during which time she served with her husband as he pastored and started churches for 16 years and then moved into the service of a deacon for 1-1/2 years at Faith Baptist Church in Circleville, Ohio.

Amy is an independent licensed social worker and has her own Christian counseling private practice. She works with traumatized women, and those struggling with depression, anxiety and marital difficulties in hopes of bringing God’s Word, Presence and Help to them. Find her devotionals on her Facebook page, Devoted Daughters.