Two artists wanted to create a picture representing perfect peace. The first painting depicted a carefree woman sitting in a boat on an idyllic lake without a ripple disturbing the surface. The other painted a raging waterfall with winds whipping the spray about. On a limb, overhanging the swirling water, a bird built its nest and sat peacefully brooding her eggs. She was safe from predatory enemies, shielded and protected by the roaring falls.
The first painting portrayed stagnation; the second illustrated peace. Peace has two elements: tranquility and energy, silence and turbulence, creation and destruction, and fearfulness and fearlessness. (Adapted from M. R. DeHaan’s writings.)
Peace is active. It requires relentless, creative, brave, aware, and awake work. “Seek peace, and pursue it,” we’re told in Psalm 34:14. Peace is not something that shows up in our lives; we must actively chase after, follow, and aggressively pursue it.
So, the question becomes, what does it mean to seek peace? And how do we pursue peace?
Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJV).
Take note of the wording. We are promised hardships, trouble, and difficult days. But peace? Jesus says we may have it. Why? Because it depends on us. It depends on whether we pursue it.
When David used the word seek, he meant sometimes peace won’t be easy to find. When he calls us to pursue it, he reminds us that peace may sometimes be far in the distance. To find it, we need to stay on the journey. Finding peace is a process, not an event. God has been relentless in pursuing peace with us. Peacemakers reflect His persistence.
