Seek peace, and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14) 

 

My computer crashed one night and oh, the feeling of anguish and loss that came over me.  My husband and I tried hard to work on it, reboot it and reinstall the system, but to no avail. I was reading and studying Psalm 34:14

when the computer went down, “Seek peace and pursue it.” Obviously the verse and my state of mind were not in the same place, so I started reasoning with the Lord over it. 

 

To seek peace means to search for it like you are looking for a lost child. Have you ever had that happen to you? One minute your child is right next to you and the next minute, gone. Oh the feeling of panic that overwhelms you as your heart starts beating faster, a burning sensation moves throughout your body, your eyes become fixed and your voice raises as you firmly and seriously call out your child’s name. Nothing is right until you find your child. That state of mind is not very peaceful and yet we are instructed to seek peace like we are seeking a lost child. What does that mean? 

 

A missing child isn’t normal for the parent as much as missing peace isn’t normal for the Christian.  Jesus left us His peace as if He left it in His will for us to claim, own and enjoy. However, it doesn’t come naturally. Jesus says that He gives us His peace not the world’s peace. If we don’t have peace, we need to find out why and then pursue it. 

 

I pursue peace by meditating on Scripture, and thinking on the verse over and over. I pray the verse back to the Lord asking Him to reveal His will for me from the verse. So when the computer crashed, I felt my peace being traded in for panic. Because the contrast was so evident, I sought for my peace first and then focused on the computer. You have to put yourself in that place to claim your rights to God’s peace regardless of the circumstance at hand. Peace is yours. Seek for it, pursue it, claim it and own it! 

 

When I read today’s devotion I could relate to the feeling of panic and complete lack of peace when my child went missing, it was but only for a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. That state of mind was in no way peaceful and so to read today’s devotion and be challenged to find peace despite the circumstances made me truly reflect on how often I claim my right to God’s peace regardless of the circumstances at hand and although I may have felt I handle situations just fine I do need to work on seeking it, pursuing it, claiming it and owning it in the midst of my circumstance. Today, take a step back, seek peace first and then focus on your circumstances. I know it will make your days so much better. Seek peace and pursue it! 

 

Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord! 

 

Today’s Reading is John 8:32