Learn how to pursue peace God’s way with biblical steps to peace from Psalm 34:14. Discover what it means to seek peace and practice it in daily life.
Peace isn’t something that just shows up when life gets quiet. It’s something we seek and something we choose. The truth is, we either cultivate peace or we crowd it out. And in today’s noisy world, that choice happens moment by moment.
What Does It Mean to Pursue Peace God’s Way?
Pursuing peace God’s way means actively seeking the kind of peace that flows from obedience to His Word and closeness to His presence. It’s not about avoiding stress or pretending everything is fine—it’s about practicing habits that align your heart with God’s truth, even in the stress of life.
Why We’re Talking About Peace (and How to Practice It)
This post is part of the Habits of Peace series—gentle, practical reflections to help you experience God’s peace in everyday life. Each week, we’re exploring a simple biblical habit that can anchor your soul and quiet the noise, one step at a time.
If you missed the first habit, take a moment to read this post about noticing what steals your peace to start at the beginning of the series.
What It Means to Seek Peace and Pursue It (Psalm 34:14)
Today we’re focusing on a short but powerful verse:
“Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” – Psalm 34:14 (ESV)
This verse doesn’t treat peace as something passive. It uses action words: seek and pursue. That means peace is something we go after, not just something we wait for.
Peace doesn’t just happen. Pursue it.
Psalm 34 was written by David, and the title tells us it was “when he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away.” This takes us back to 1 Samuel 21, when David fled for his life, sought shelter with the Philistines, and feared he’d be killed. So he acted like a madman to escape.
This was not a peaceful season.
David was desperate, fearful, and vulnerable. And yet—this is the moment he writes, “seek peace and pursue it.”
David wasn’t writing these words from a cozy mountaintop. He was hiding, uncertain, and under pressure. And still—he says pursue peace.
- Not escape.
- Not comfort.
- Not control.
But peace–the kind that comes from turning from fear and walking toward God’s goodness, even when the world feels dangerous.
This makes Psalm 34:14 even more powerful: peace isn’t the absence of problems—it’s a habit of direction.
Biblical Steps to Peace That Start with Obedience
Peace grows in the soil of consistent choices rooted in God’s Word.
Here are five simple but powerful ways to begin pursuing peace—habits that reflect obedience to God’s Word and create space for His peace to take root.
- Peace is a pursuit: It’s an intentional direction of your heart, mind, and choices.
- Small habits create peace: Things like regular prayer, healthy boundaries, or even choosing stillness for five minutes can shift your atmosphere
- Disruptions to peace are clues: When you lose your peace, it’s a signal—not a failure. Ask: What broke my peace today? What helped restore it?
- Obedience is part of pursuing peace: The verse doesn’t just say “pursue peace”—it starts with “turn away from evil and do good.” That reminds us that peace isn’t just a feeling; it’s a fruit of walking in the right direction. If we want peace to grow in our lives, we have to say no to the things that stir up chaos, sin, or unrest—whether that’s in our thoughts, our words, or our actions.
Sometimes the most powerful way to pursue peace is to turn away from what disrupts it.
What’s one small, intentional step you can take today to pursue peace in a stressful area of your life?
How Psalm 34 Guides Us to Lasting Peace
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4
Just a few verses earlier, David reminds us that seeking peace begins with seeking the Lord. He connects deliverance from fear with intentional spiritual pursuit.
When we pursue peace, we’re really pursuing the presence of God.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
Even when peace feels out of reach, God’s nearness is our reassurance. You can pursue peace even in broken places—because He is near.
“Psalm 34 is a psalm of movement—David is praising, seeking, turning, fearing God, and doing good. It’s not passive peace. It’s practiced peace.”
Make Pursuing Peace Your Habit
Habit of Peace: Make peace a pursuit, not a wish—take one intentional step toward peace today.
Here’s the truth: peace doesn’t just drop into our day like a surprise delivery. It’s something we pursue—on purpose. Scripture tells us to seek peace and pursue it. That means we don’t just long for peace—we look for it. We move toward it. We choose it in the middle of everything else pressing in.
It doesn’t have to be big—but it does need to be real. A choice that opens the door for peace to enter in.
Here are a few biblical steps to peace you can apply today:
- 🕯️ Pause before answering that stressful text or email. Breathe. Pray. Then respond.
- 📖 Start your day with Scripture instead of scrolling. Set your tone before the world does.
- 🗓️ Say no to one extra thing today so your soul can breathe.
- 🚶♀️ Take a quiet walk without noise—no phone, no podcast, just space to be with God.
- 🤲 Pray over the thing you keep obsessing about instead of replaying it in your mind.
- 🎧 Put on peaceful worship music while you cook, drive, or fold laundry.
- 👥 Resolve a tension with kindness. Sometimes pursuing peace means initiating reconciliation.
Your peace isn’t random. It’s shaped by your habits.
As you reflect on today’s message, take a few minutes to sit with these questions:
– What situations or habits tend to break your peace most often?
– What’s one small, intentional step you can take today to pursue peace in a stressful area of your life?
– Are there any thought patterns or behaviors you need to turn away from to protect your peace?
You don’t have to do it all—but one habit can begin to shift everything.
A Prayer for Pursuing Peace in Your Life
Lord, I long for Your peace to steady my heart in the chaos of life. Help me to seek peace—not just as a feeling, but as a daily pursuit that begins with choosing You. Show me the habits that build peace and the patterns that break it. Give me courage to turn away from anything that stirs up unrest in my thoughts, words, or actions. Thank You for being near when I’m overwhelmed and for guiding me with Your truth. May Your peace grow in me as I walk in obedience and trust You more each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Practice the Habit of Pursuing Peace This Week
Friend, peace is possible—even in a chaotic world. But it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when we seek it, pursue it, and build it—one decision at a time.
Don’t miss next week’s episode about the truth that peace isn’t just something we feel—it’s someone we follow. We’ll talk about what it means that Jesus is our Prince of Peace and how knowing Him personally brings the kind of peace the world can’t offer or take away—a peace that isn’t just a feeling, but a powerful force.
If this episode helped you reframe peace as a pursuit, would you share it with a friend who could use some peace today? Be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss what’s coming next—and join us as we keep building spiritual strength through everyday habits of hope.
If this message stirred something in you today, go back and listen to Episode 1 of the Peace Series. We talked about how to recognize the moments when peace starts to slip—and how noticing those early warning signs can lead us back to God’s steadying presence.
Don’t miss next week’s episode about the truth that peace isn’t just something we feel, it’s someone we follow. We’ll talk about what it means that Jesus is our Prince of Peace and how knowing Him personally brings the kind of peace the world can’t offer and can never take away—and how God’s peace isn’t just a feeling, it’s a powerful force.
More from the Habits of Peace Series
Need More Peace: A Simple Habit to Notice When Peace is Missing
So glad you're here. I help busy women—gals like you— build healthy habits for living well with biblical wisdom and practical steps to deepen your faith, increase your hope, and thrive in your purpose.
