Psalms 34
Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. Psalms 34:12-14 NKJV
Do you love life? Do you want to enjoy every day you are given, regardless of your circumstances? Certainly most of us would want to answer both of these questions with a resounding “YES!” If you answered “No” to both questions, then here is a prescription for you from your Heavenly Father: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22, NLT). But how can we truly love our lives when there is so much negativity, tragedy, disappointment, and work to be done? The best way to ensure that our daily lives are enjoyable and fulfilling, no matter what happens, is through obedience to God’s commands. The Bible is filled with examples and advice on how we can live the most abundant, fruitful, and amazing lives possible. Biblical stories and guidelines were not written to cause guilt or fear within us, but to show us how living life God’s way WILL result in the best life we can live. In this passage, King David gives us some specific examples that we can use in our daily lives to achieve this goal:
1. Choose your words carefully. “The tongue has the power of life and death…” (Proverbs 18:21). If we speak words of encouragement, love and hope to others, our hearts will be filled with the same. On the other hand, James reminds us of what can ensue when our words are used improperly: “…the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6). The truth is, that our words start out as thoughts. We have a choice whether to allow those thoughts out of our mouths in the form of words, that can affect those around us. When you are struggling with keeping negative words to yourself, pray and ask Him to help you “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
2. Stay away from sin and temptation. This includes sinful thoughts, words and actions. Although sin is unavoidable in this fallen world, there are conscious decisions you can make in life to avoid situations that will make you prone to stumbling. God is 100% wholesome, loving and good. There is no trace of evil in Him. Since we are His followers, we should hate evil as much as He does, and proclaim “…I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech” (Proverbs 8:13). Take steps to nourish the goodness and holiness within yourself and neglect your carnal, sinful nature. And remember when you have those moments of weakness, the Holy Spirit is always there for strength and guidance.
3. Do good things for other people. This can seem tedious at times, especially when we feel unappreciated and do not see results from our efforts. But, this is an area of life where it is very important to persevere: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). What will we harvest? It may be peace, joy, or simply the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you did something to improve the life of someone else. The rewards will be different in every situation, and some may not be apparent until we arrive in heaven. Ultimately, remember this: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).
4. Work towards peace wherever you go. Most of us know all too well that peace doesn’t just happen. Peace is not the natural order in our world, so finding it and maintaining it requires effort and perseverance. Even though it is not always easy, Paul tells us that each of us are called to do our part: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). How can we find peace? Peace is a fruit of the Spirit, so living a spirit-filled life is essential. This means following the Holy Spirit and His promptings instead of listening to what our flesh wants us to do. Another important part of peace is simply trusting God and His promises instead of giving in to worry and fear.
The reality is that peace is a gift from God; It is a reward for following His ways and living a Godly life. “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17).