Credit: Creative Commons, Ali-Arsh

Friends, it is critical that we understand that God expresses Himself in an environment of unity.

~Dr. Tony Evans

This phrase keeps coming to my mind since Dr. Evans first tweeted it.

We can pursue God all day long – long-winded prayers, quiet times, doing the church thing – but if our relationships are in disarray, we’ll have a hard time connecting with Him.

Scripture makes unity a VERY BIG DEAL. In fact, when I was first poring through the Word as a college freshman, do you wanna know what Jesus highlighted to me as His #1 priority over and over again?

U-N-I-T-Y.

He made it crystal-clear to me, and He’s continued to show me through the years how much it grieves Him when we’re divisive and unloving towards each other.

So can you imagine what the enemy has opposed more than anything else in my life? You guessed it – unity.

He’s a sneaky one. I tried valiantly to avoid division in my life (as best I could), yet it snuck in the back door and caused major disruptions with those closest to me. Now I’m repairing the damage caused by all those years of separation.

I’m learning that whatever the argument is, it’s not worth winning if it destroys your relationships. Yes, we may need some time to regroup and lick our wounds, but we must deal with issues and be vigilant to pursue peace with whoever hurt us.

Maybe we won’t be best friends anymore (or maybe just for a season) – and that’s OK! – but we can still make amends. So if God’s laying someone on your heart that you need to make reparations with, it’s important to listen to Him.

Here are 4 Biblical reasons why we should strive for peace in our relationships:

1) Unity is for our personal benefit.

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Prov 16

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days… seek peace and pursue it.” Psa 34

2) Unity benefits God’s people!

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity… for there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psa 133

“Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Rom 14

“As God’s chosen people… bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” Col 3

3) Unity makes us MUCH more effective.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Eccl 4

“If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matt 18

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5

4) Unity shines Christ’s love into the world. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matt 5

“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13

“The glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17