Seeking Your Good

In this age of 24/7 communications I recently got some information very early in the morning related to work. It has been a tough time and this was not good news. I abruptly left the house in what could only be described as a foul mood. I was angry, very, very frustrated and looking for answers. 

Fortunately I did not immediately find those answers and as I entered my office I began to angrily and anxiously worry. As I begin to settle, a thought occurred to me...why don’t I open the Bible and just see what God might say to me. 

I opened and was immediately drawn to Psalm 122:8-­‐9:

For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good. 

These two verses just stuck with me and as I thought about work and perhaps some individuals I work with; I just felt the power of these two verses. I thought deeply about the statement Peace be within you. Peace being the word shalom meaning completeness, welfare, peace, quiet, contentment, tranquility. Then amazingly the following verse I will seek your good. Not my good, but your good. Not expressing anger and frustration with those I work with, but drawing upon the Shalom only possible from God and seeking good for those I work with. 

This stuck with me for a long while, in fact I read more about this Psalm at lunch, I know it was not really written for a workplace, but I started thinking about how I might apply these verses. Spurgeon tells us that we can find this peace and we can seek this good by: 

1) Prayer
2) Service to others
3) Keeping peace
4) Setting the example 

Great advice; scripture driven...Shalom everyone! 

Grace and Peace!