September 16 – Instruments of Peace
Acquire inward peace, and thousands around you will find their salvation. Seraphim of Sarov
Gregg’s Reflection
I have come to see that the work of healing within is inseparable from the work of healing others. When I have ignored my own pain, I’ve found myself impatient, reactive, and easily caught in conflict. But when I’ve done the hard psycho-spiritual work — through prayer, therapy, and honest community — I’ve discovered new space for patience, gentleness, and peace.
Dan Allender has said that our wounds, when transformed, become the doorway to redemption. That rings true in my own story: the very places of failure, fear, or grief have become the openings through which compassion now flows. Alan Cook adds that true peace doesn’t come from avoiding conflict but from standing in it with a healed and grounded heart.
The invitation of Christ is not just to receive peace but to become peace — to embody reconciliation in a fractured world. St. Francis captured this beautifully in his prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” My hope is that as I continue to allow God to heal what is broken in me, I might carry that healing into the lives of others.
Scripture
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:18
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
Colossians 3:15
Ancient Quotes
Acquire inward peace, and thousands around you will find their salvation.
Seraphim of Sarov
Modern Quotes
True peace is not found in the absence of struggle but in the presence of a heart transformed by love.
Alan Cook
Journaling Prompts
- Where in your life have you seen inner healing overflow into relationships with others?
- What wound might God be inviting you to transform into compassion?
- How does the prayer of St. Francis resonate with your own desire to be an instrument of peace?
- In what concrete way might you carry peace into your community this week?
Clarify the pond so you can see God more clearly. Embrace emotional health as part of your spiritual journey. If not for your own sake, for your children. “If we don’t transform our pain, we will transmit it,” Richard Rohr.
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 37 Reflection: Psycho/Spiritual Work