Harmony doesn't just "exist"

How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live in harmony! (Psalm 133:1 TLB)

What does harmony look like in your mind? In your heart? In your attitude? In your actions? Most would define harmony as the state of being united, without barriers or friction. In truth, harmony means much more - for it bespeaks a "congruity of parts" - where mind and heart are one; heart is reflected in one's attitude; and one's attitude directions all the actions that come forth so as to create a cohesiveness. Could it be possible to have harmony, but not to live in harmony? Yes, of course, for congruity of the parts doesn't always mean those parts will be all moving in the "right" direction!

While most of us would want to think of harmony as a state of tranquility, we all know to get to that "state" requires some traveling over some pretty rough roads at times! Tranquility is not something that just happens by accident - it requires a Creator, a Sustainer, and oftentimes, a Restrainer! The mind may desire to go in that direction more than anything else, but the desires of the heart need a little bit of restraint to actually get us headed in the right direction, especially where we feel we have been "wronged" within any relationship.

Harmony takes at least one Creator of that condition of mind and heart. It takes one party being willing to lay down their own agenda to listen, truly listen, to the desire of the other's heart. It would be best if both were pulling in the same direction here, but we all know harmony usually involves some "compromise" on the part of the one willing to take the first step. In the beginning, God created true harmony. Sin entered in and that condition of heart and mind was upset - it still had the capacity to exist, but their had to be an intervention in order to restore that harmony - Christ.

We have all we need, if we have Christ in control of our hearts, to realize true harmony within our relationships with each other - for it begins with true harmony with God. The heart and mind pull together under the Sustaining power of the Holy Spirit and we soon find our attitude begins to reflect the Restraining power of his presence, as well. It doesn't mean we are constantly biting our tongue, or compromising to meet the other person's demands. It means we learn to truly be quiet long enough to hear the heart of another and then realize where it is we can find mutual ground to travel! Just sayin!

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