Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.Turn from evil and do good;seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14
NIV (also 1 Peter 3:10-12)
Peace is a common desire among many. Just the idea of it makes many, including me, smile. A peaceful life, day, moment, mind - I'll take them any day of the week (and, as they say, twice on Sundays).
I don't know about you, but in my mind, peace has mostly been defined by what it lacks - what is NOT included. No war. No fighting. No conflict. No noise (hence my favorite phrase "peace and quiet."). So the best way to experience peace is to not make any waves and wait for it. To suppress anything that might cause conflict and wait. It will come. Right?
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Peace doesn't just come. It isn't the result of inactivity. No - it is the opposite. The psalmist and Peter don't tell us to have peace - or even to make peace. We are to seek it - to PURSUE it. If we want to love life and have good days (and who doesn't?), we must chase after peace - work to achieve it.
This doesn't mean we push troubles under the rug and pretend they don't exist. Nor do we let others have their way, or ignore sin, to avoid conflict. It means we work to promote harmony in our hearts, our families, our communities, and our world. And, with the many different perspectives, personalities, and priorities that surround us. It IS work. But it's absolutely worth it - because nothing is better than God's peace in our lives.
So don't just wait for peace - or even make it. Pursue it with all your efforts. Cuz you won't get it any other way.
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We're discussing this here, and at Living by Grace on Facebook. Won't you join us?
How do you seek peace in a world of strife?
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths
Thank-you for the gentle reminder, especially appropriate in a writer's life. I have spent most of my life waiting for things to calm down before I could use the talents God have given me. Blessed are the peacemakers.:)
ReplyDeleteAmen :) I'm totally with you - and, as you know, we'll NEVER use His talents if we wait for things to calm down. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWonderful post. Yes, it is a conscious choice, and something we must actively do, whether in our dealings with others, or internally, with ourselves, in our spirits. Setting aside time every day to commune with God, and also praying through the day, help me tremendously.
ReplyDeleteThat time with God, whether formal or informal, is so very important! Thanks so much for your thoughts, and for stopping by!
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