Quotes about Peace

Paul Tillich once defined forgiveness as remembering the past in order that it might be forgotten

I relish the sense of being alone with nature, knowing that of all people in the world only I am hearing these sounds in this place. The tranquil mood feels vaguely religious, what I should be feeling in church but rarely do. In

Caught up in righteous—and wholly appropriate—revulsion over Serbian atrocities, the world overlooks one fact: the Serbs are simply following the terrible logic of unforgiveness.

There is one major flaw in the law of revenge, however: it never settles the score.

Be still and know that I am God." I read in this familiar verse from Psalm 46 two commands of equal importance. First, I must be still, something that modern life conspires against. Ten years ago I responded to letters within a couple of weeks and kept my correspondents happy. Five years ago I faxed a response in a couple of days and they seemed content. Now they want email responses the same day and berate me for not using instant messaging or a mobile phone.

By forgiving, I release my own right to get even and leave all issues of fairness for God to work out.

Lewis Smedes points out, "The first and often the only person to be healed by forgiveness is the person who does the forgiveness. . . . When we genuinely forgive, we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us.

The only thing harder than forgiveness is the alternative.

So we strap on weapons that work—weapons divinely authorized for our success in spiritual warfare: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace. Then we take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, as well as the sword—the very Word of God. But

And that is where you want to be. Because in His arms, you'll know the beauty of His peace—"the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension" and which guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).

When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Prov. 16:7)

He just flat went ahead and "tore down the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph. 2:14 hcsb) that had stood between them for dozens and dozens of long, gray-haired generations. He wasn't appealing for peace but was proclaiming peace—"peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near" (Eph.