Psalms 34:13-14 – [K]eep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Did you ever come across some words that you had read eleventy times, but suddenly they slapped you in the face and screamed, “Pay attention!” The part that hit me hardest here was in the last five words. How badly do you want real peace? Jesus was clear that His peace was not as the world defines it (John 14:27), but He did not tell us with well defined instructions how to achieve it, and we are oftentimes a bit dense. That is where daily Bible study comes in, with the scripture above holding those well defined instructions. First, remove yourself from evil, as much and as far from it as you have it in your power to do, which includes but is not limited to what you watch, what you listen to, who you keep company with, and even what you yourself say. You live in the world, but it does not have to taint your soul. Next, do all the good you can in every way you can at every time you can. ‘Nuff said. Lastly, seek the Lord’s peace. Chase after it as if it is the only thing there is. Actively look for it – all the time. When that becomes habit, there is nothing in the here and now that can do anything to take that away. Yes, the world is full of evil, but there is also plenty that is good. So just what is it that you want?
