Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. I Peter 3:11
What does it mean to pursue peace?
Webster's definition of pursue:
: to follow and try to catch or capture (someone or something) for usually a long distance or time
: to try to get or do (something) over a period of time
: to be involved in (an activity)
It is active. Which means it is continual. It insinuates a long process, not a quick fix.
Have you ever thought about this in your relationships? When someone has wronged you, to what lengths have you gone to bring peace? Do you shove it under the carpet, ignore it? Do you try to prove they are wrong? Do you lash out with vengeance? Do you pursue vindication?
Or do you do what is necessary to bring peace....even if it means not getting to tell your side.
the word - peace - appears 429 times in the bible.
Which tells me it is something that is important to God.
I heard a definition once of humility.....being willing to look like a failure in everyone's eyes but Gods.
I believe pursuing peace is very similar.....being willing to put my self and my desire for justice aside to bring peace to a situation, healing to a relationship, mercy and forgiveness to someone who might not deserve it, unity to the body of Christ.
Just some things I'm thinking on today.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Colossians 3:15
2 comments:
Interesting thought! I always have thought of peace as something that you either have or don't have, but it makes sense to think of it as a continual process and something you have to keep working at.
OHHHH - we're getting ready to go to camp & our theme is MOVE & I need to come up with a devotional. This verse could be fantastic for me to go off of. Pursue - MOVE - go after!!!
Thanks lady!!!
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