Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14 (ESV)
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Romans 12:9 (ESV)
When we think of running from evil, we think of obvious situations and places that we know are not good, as well as the types of people we are around. However, evil can come in various forms, such as evil thoughts and intentions one may have toward another. One can have thoughts of wanting to inflict emotional, mental, or even physical harm on others, because of a wrong that was done.
When God calls us to flee evil, it is not just evil around us but that which is within us as well. We need to always take inventory of ourselves, and what we are thinking and doing, before looking outwardly toward others. We must continue to flee evil thinking and be in control of our actions always.
In contrast, we should always strive to seek peace in every situation. Seeking peace at times may prove very hard and challenging, especially when you are dealing with other people and/or situations that are extremely difficult. As you develop strong faith and trust in God, you will have His peace to contain you, despite what is happening all around. May we all have that Godly peace, no matter where we are or what may be happening.
Doing good should be what all of us strive for daily. For us to achieve this, it starts within. It starts when we allow God’s ways of living and interacting with others, to be an integral part of who we are, and how we choose always to behave. The Bible declares in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, meaning we all have a bent and a tendency toward sin. However, if we have a willing heart, open to God’s leading, we can make the constant daily choice, to always be kind, to everyone we meet.
Now, no one said being kind will always be easy. As stated before, we all WILL encounter difficult situations and people. As they say, you cannot control what and who comes at you, but you can control your reaction. Knowing our basic human nature/instincts, we need to constantly call on God, and seek to do good.
So, the call for us all: flee evil, seek peace, and do good!
Blessings,
Angélique
To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com