Turn from
evil and do good;
Seek peace
and pursue it.
Psalms 34:14
Turning from evil seems simple
enough. We can avoid committing crimes and becoming violent. But what else might be evil? Jesus said that is we harbor angers towards
our brother we are liable of judgment. If we insult our brother or sister we
are liable of the council. Could anger and harsh words be considered evil? Is
turning away from God to glorifying in our fleshly desires a form of evil? Even
lust is considered adultery of the heart. Surely the sins of our hearts and
desires are evil in God’s eye. We must turn away from the evil in our hearts
and do good. We must become a blessing to others. It is not enough to give up
anger towards someone we must learn to wish them well. Pray for their wellbeing
and bless them when we can.
To turn away from evil and do good we
must consistently chose to seek help from God. Through pray and consistent
effort we can tame our flesh and crucify out hearts. But good behavior alone is
not enough. We are commanded to seek peace. Seeking a unity of spirit with God
where we walk in His peace. Pursuing peace is active. It is not laying back
waiting for God to hand us peace. It is a diligent effort to bring peace into
our lives. As Paul wrote we must think about
what is true, commendable, pure, praiseworthy, and excellent. We must choose to
guard our minds and focus on the things pleasing to God.
The life of choosing to focus our
thoughts is a life of discipleship. A life that includes turning our mind over
to God regularly. Allowing Him to bring to our attention the thoughts and
desires which displease Him. As we explore our thoughts and look for ways to
refocus surely God will direct us towards things praiseworthy and excellent. We
might need to turn off the TV more often. Put down the paper. Stop searching
the internet. Spend more time reading the bible, praying, and praising God.
As we let God refocus our minds we
will learn to live at peace with our brothers and sisters. We will give up angry
emotions, fear, and harsh words. Our hearts will be consumed with the peace of
God. We will be able to share that peace with others. To truly pursue peace we must pursue God. Only
He can give us lasting peace. God has not promised us understanding of all
that happens in this world. He has promised us peace which defies
understanding.
Dear Lord, fill me with the peace of your spirit. Cleanse my mind that I will be pleasing to you. Help me to turn from evil and pursue peace in all that I do. Direct me towards things which are pariseworthy, excellent, pure, true, and commendable. Let me become a source of peace for those around me.
Dear Lord, fill me with the peace of your spirit. Cleanse my mind that I will be pleasing to you. Help me to turn from evil and pursue peace in all that I do. Direct me towards things which are pariseworthy, excellent, pure, true, and commendable. Let me become a source of peace for those around me.
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