Seeking and Pursuing Peace
What does it mean to seek out peace and pursue it?
Verse of the Day
“Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Today’s Devotional
David was hiding in a cave. He was fleeing from King Saul and King Achish of Gath. By reading the story in First Samuel, it seems like David isn’t sure where to go, who to trust, and what exactly he’s supposed to be doing. So instead of wallowing in self-pity, he wrote a song of praise. That’s how we have Psalm 34. If you have time, I suggest you read the whole psalm, then weigh that against how you react to a difficult day or season. For me, it is very convicting. Because my initial response is not always to praise.
Let’s look at David’s advice. “Seek peace and pursue it.” How exactly do we do that?
My first thought is that I need to be able to recognize when I’m being selfish, because that would be the opposite of pursuing peace. Which happens a lot. Then, when I can recognize that I’m wanting MY will in a situation, I need to be able to recognize a different option. What is in everyone’s best interests, not just my own? What might be the most peaceful solution to the current problem?
Let’s look at an example. Suppose I have a “sandpaper person” in my life. You know, the person who just completely rubs you the wrong way. (Side note: our sandpaper people are great for smoothing out OUR rough edges, not theirs.) How could I seek and pursue peace with regard to this annoying person? The first thing I could do is pray for that person. I can ask God to help me see this person through HIS eyes. I could pray for him to have all the blessings in his life that I wish for in my own life. I could ask God for a special measure of kindness when dealing with him. I could choose to see his character flaws as signs of struggle. It’s hard to judge someone and simultaneously wish them well.
Then I can be kind. And not just once. These kinds of things take lots of practice, in my experience.
Other ways to seek and pursue peace: Resist the urge to give my opinion unless asked. Be mindful of what situations are important and which are trivial. Then stay uninvolved in the trivial. Otherwise known as taking the high road. Recognize that everyone has a right to their own opinion, even when it does not align with mine. Be more concerned with loving people than being right. Refrain from gossip. Help others to find a solution that works for everyone, which usually involves some creativity. Pray all throughout the day that I can be an instrument of peace.
On that note, I want to include a famous prayer from St. Francis of Assisi. It’s a perfect prayer for seeking and pursuing peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Do you have a sandpaper person? If so, write out a prayer for that person today.
Which of the ways to seek and pursue peace that I mentioned today do you struggle with most? Ask for God’s guidance in that specific area.
How can you actively pursue peace today?
Comments
This was so very humbling – thank you! I wrote the prayer from St. Francis onto a page in my Bible, so that as I am reading the Psalms I can refer to it as well. Isn’t it so wonderful and awesome that when we decide to do the loving, kind choices, we experience peace and joy? It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely what God intended for us!