In Pursuit of Peace // Pastor Keenen Worrell

Oct 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Chasing Peace Like a Cop Chases Justice

The image of officers relentlessly pursuing suspects mirrors our call to chase peace with equal intensity. Peace isn’t passive avoidance but active pursuit, even when conflicts drag on or relationships strain. Just as police declare “in pursuit” to signal unwavering focus, believers must fix their hearts on reconciliation. This requires rejecting the comfort of silence or the rush of retaliation. True peacemaking means entering messy situations with courage, not waiting for storms to pass. [06:20]

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:19, ESV)

Reflection: What relationship in your life have you avoided addressing because prioritizing peace feels costlier than staying silent? How might pursuing peace here reflect Christ’s pursuit of you?

Day 2: The High Cost of Cheap Peace

Peace demands surrendering the addiction to being right—a price many refuse to pay. Like paying premiums for counterfeit insurance, we often choose temporary conflict avoidance over biblical peace. True peace costs pride, requires humility, and trades “winning” arguments for healing wounds. It means releasing grip on self-justification to grasp the harder work of understanding. Only through this exchange do we access the durable peace Jesus promised. [12:07]

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you disguised pride as “conviction” to avoid reconciliation? What step could you take today to pay peace’s price in that situation?

Day 3: Peace Is a Language We Speak

Peace shapes our words like a potter molds clay—limiting reactive speech, softening harsh tones, and redirecting conversations. It means deleting the incendiary text, pausing before forwarding gossip, and listening longer than arguing. Just as James warns against untamed tongues, Ephesians calls us to let no corrupting talk escape but only what builds up. Every sentence becomes a brick—either constructing bridges or walls. [24:55]

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)

Reflection: What recent conversation left others diminished rather than strengthened? How could you rebuild with peace-filled words this week?

Day 4: Restoration Beats Vindication

Peacemakers measure success by healed relationships, not verbal knockouts. Like a surgeon seeking wholeness over scoring incisions, they enter conflicts asking, “Will this restore?” not “Will this prove me right?” Jesus’ beatitude blesses not those who avoid fights or win them, but those who repair brokenness. This requires silencing the inner lawyer arguing your case and awakening the inner medic binding wounds. [25:56]

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9, ESV)

Reflection: When did you last walk away from a conflict feeling “victorious” yet relationally empty? What would restoration—not vindication—look like in that relationship now?

Day 5: Let Peace Control the Steering Wheel

Christ’s peace operates like a GPS recalibrating chaotic routes. When turbulence hits—canceled flights, heated arguments, betrayal—His peace overrides panic’s shortcuts. It asks, “Will this choice deepen unity or fracture it?” before accelerating. Just as the pastor chose Uber over unsafe rides, we must let peace navigate, not fear’s detours or pride’s reckless driving. Peace decides best when emotions fog the windshield. [34:46]

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: What current decision feels foggy with anxiety? How might surrendering control to Christ’s peace clarify your next move?

Sermon Summary

Paul calls the church to chase peace with the same kind of intensity that officers bring to a pursuit. Romans 14:19 does not treat peace like a nice personality trait or something believers pick up when it is convenient. The text says, “Let us pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding,” because peace is a defining mark of somebody who belongs to Jesus.

The Greek word for pursue carries the picture of running swiftly after a goal. Paul uses the same kind of word that can describe persecution, chasing somebody down to harm them. Peace flips that picture around. Christ calls believers to chase peace down relentlessly, even when it costs something. Peace costs the need to be right, and that cost exposes where identity has been misplaced.

The tension between being right and being reconciled reveals whether identity is in opinions, politics, ideals, and personal convictions, or whether identity is in Christ. Division and disunity do not stay contained in one hard conversation. Division hinders what the Holy Spirit desires to do among the body. Romans 12 says, “So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all,” which means the part that belongs to a believer is nonnegotiable.

Biblical peace does not mean throwing truth away, abandoning conviction, or pretending conflict is not there. Jesus gives peace that holds steady in the middle of conflict. The world offers conflict avoidance, temporary relief, and counterfeit peace that leads right back into anxiety. Christ gives peace that is not based on circumstances and is not sustained by human effort, because His peace is sustained by His power.

James shows peace in speech through being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Ephesians shows peace by asking whether words build up or tear down before a text gets sent, an email gets answered, or a conversation gets started. Conflict shows peace when restoration is the goal instead of vindication. A scoreboard may prove who won an argument, but it cannot prove that peace was pursued.

Colossians 3:15 calls the peace of Christ the controlling factor that decides and settles the questions that arise. That inner calm comes from walking with Christ daily. Fear, confusion, and high emotions will always offer to control the heart, but Christ’s peace remains available to those called into one body. Pride can wear conviction’s clothes, but peacemakers are called children of God. Christ chased sinners down all the way to the cross, and that pursuit becomes the pattern for pursuing broken relationships with peace.

Key Takeaways

1. Peace costs the need to be right [12:07] The need to be right can become an identity, especially when long-held opinions and convictions feel threatened. Christ does not call believers to lose truth, but He does call them to lay down pride. Reconciliation matters more than proving a point. [12:07]
2. Christ’s peace stands within conflict [17:54] Peace is not silence, avoidance, or pretending that nothing is wrong. Christ’s peace creates an anchor in the middle of hard moments, not an escape from them. That peace keeps the heart from being ruled by fear, anger, or the pressure to react. [17:54]
3. Words must build up, not tear down [23:44] Speech reveals what is controlling the heart. James and Ephesians call believers to slow down before speaking and to measure words by whether they give grace. A sharp response may feel satisfying for a moment, but it can tear down what Christ desires to restore. [23:44]
4. Restoration matters more than vindication [25:15] Conflict becomes destructive when winning becomes the goal. God calls His people to enter hard conversations with restoration in mind, trusting Him to vindicate them in His way and His timing. A relationship cannot heal when pride insists on keeping score. [25:15]
5. Let Christ’s peace make the call [32:54] The peace of Christ is meant to be the controlling factor in a believer’s heart. Daily closeness with Christ gives access to an inner calm that can settle questions when emotions are high. Peace becomes a real choice when fear and confusion demand control.

## [32:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:27] - Pursuing What God Values
[00:58] - In Pursuit of Well Done
[01:33] - In Pursuit of God’s Presence
[03:03] - The Picture of a Relentless Pursuit
[06:50] - The Call to Pursue Peace
[07:13] - Romans 14 and Church Division
[10:44] - Peace Costs Being Right
[14:47] - Biblical Peace and Biblical Truth
[16:59] - Peace in the Middle of Conflict
[22:54] - Peace in Speech and Relationships
[25:15] - Restoration Over Vindication
[28:15] - Unresolved Conflict and Worship
[32:54] - Let Christ’s Peace Control the Heart
[41:49] - Chase Peace Down

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Romans 14:19
“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” [07:08]

Romans 12:18
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” [14:59]

Colossians 3:15
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” [32:58]

Observation questions

In Romans 14:19, what two things does Paul tell believers to pursue, and how are those two goals connected?
What disagreements in the Roman church provided the setting for Paul’s call to pursue peace? [07:35]
According to Romans 12:18, what part of living peaceably is placed directly in the believer’s hands? [14:59]
In Colossians 3:15, what is Christ’s peace meant to do in a believer’s heart when questions and decisions arise? [32:58]

Interpretation questions

Why does Paul pair peace with “mutual upbuilding” in Romans 14:19? What does that show about the kind of peace Christians are called to pursue?
Romans 12:18 says, “so far as it depends on you.” How does this help someone take responsibility for pursuing peace without taking responsibility for another person’s choices? [15:18]
Does pursuing peace mean avoiding difficult conversations or giving up biblical conviction? How can someone hold to truth while still working toward reconciliation? [15:56]
What is the difference between entering a conflict for restoration and entering it for vindication? What might reveal which goal is really controlling a person’s heart? [25:15]

Application questions

Is there a relationship where the desire to be right has become more important than being reconciled? What would it look like to take one peaceful step toward that person this week? [42:19]
Think about a recent text, email, comment, or conversation that made you angry. If you had paused to ask, “Will this build up or tear down?” how might your response have changed? [24:40]
What situations tend to make you quick to speak or quick to anger—family gatherings, work stress, social media, or something else? What could help you become quicker to listen and slower to react? [22:40]
Is there a hard conversation you have been avoiding because you do not want conflict? What would it look like to pursue peace in that situation rather than simply avoiding it? [17:47]
Before your next difficult conversation, how could you check whether your goal is restoration or proving your point? What would a restoration-focused conversation sound like? [26:15]
When fear, confusion, or strong emotions are trying to control your decisions, what practices help you let the peace of Christ be the controlling factor instead? [34:27]
Are there unresolved conflicts affecting your ability to worship freely or walk closely with God? What step of confession, forgiveness, apology, or conversation may be needed? [28:06]

Sermon Clips

34s

#PursueReconciliation

“Chase it down. Chase it down the way you were chased down by a God who refused to give up on you. Not when it got dark, not when it got hard, not when the pursuit cost him everything on a cross. He did not stop until he caught you. So what is stopping you for doing the same for the person whose name just came to your mind?”

35s

#IdentityInChrist

“Our identity was never supposed to be in being right. Our identity is in Christ. And if being right cost us our witness, cost us our family, and cost the very peace that God calls us to pursue, then we have been confused on what we're actually supposed to be chasing. Because one day every argument we won, every point we prove, every last word that we had to have will mean nothing in the light of eternity.”

49s

#RelentlessPeace

“And this is the same word. The same word deoko is used elsewhere in the New Testament for the word persecute. Same word deoko for persecute. So he's using the same word that means chasing a person down to destroy them. And in the same way, as believers, we are called to chase peace with that same intensity. Not if we feel like it, not if it's convenient. We are called to chase peace relentlessly.”

38s

#PeaceOverPride

“Because for a lot of us, I know that there is a relationship right now where you'd rather be right than be reconciled. There's a sibling, a coworker, an ex, where you are 10 toes down on being right, and you have decided maybe without even saying a word that being right matters more than peace. And you might have even said mid argument, well, fine. That's just my conviction. I need to tell you that that is not conviction. That's pride wearing convictions closed.”

45s

#ChoosePeace

“So there's not this thing about, oh, I don't know how to have peace. I can't pursue peace. No. No. No. Because the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of you, you have access to everything that you need in order to pursue peace. The question is will you? And what do you do when emotions get high? What do you do when when things start to go crazy? When when when feelings happen? When you're in a situation? Will you let the peace of Christ be the controlling factor in your hearts and settle your questions and decisions or not? The choice is yours.”

46s

#TruePeace

“I'm not giving to you the world's peace. Why? Because the world's peace is conflict avoidance. The world's peace is temporary. The world's peace is a counterfeit, and those counterfeits only lead to more conflict, more stress, more anxiety, which is the exact opposite of peace. Because the world says, just avoid the conflict. What happens? More anxiety, more stress, because you have unresolved conflict. The world says, just take this, and this will allow you to be at peace. What happens? It's temporary. It goes away. Now you are in in an addiction cycle to achieve something that God has for you.”

51s

#PeaceInTheStorm

“And it's burning you up on the inside. You got all you got all kinda stuff going on, but you refuse because I just wanna avoid conflict. Because some of us misinterpret peace to mean absence of conflict. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but peace is in the midst of conflict. Right in the middle of it, there's a personhood that shows up in the moment. There there's there's a foundation that I'm attached to in the middle of the storm. There's a a a anchor that I am rooted in that causes me in the midst of conflict not to be moved. What is that? Peace.”

50s

#PrideExposed

“And then you have to ask yourself this question, why? do you have this big emotion, this big desire to to speak, to get it out, to to get this... Can I tell you with love that that's not of God? As a matter of fact, it's demonic. This need to be right is demonic. It's... It causes division, and families are broken up. Relationships are severed because of our desire to be right rather than pursue peace.”

57s

#IdentityInChrist

“It means something to us because what will people think about me if I'm wrong? will people think about? How will people perceive me if I'm wrong? What what is it saying for the things that I've held onto for so long if, what is it what is it saying about my my my opinions I'm wrong? What does it say about my ideals if I'm wrong? What does it say about my politics if I'm wrong? What does it say about my way of thinking if I'm wrong, therefore, I cannot be wrong. We love being right. But the question we have to ask ourselves is is your identity in being right, or is your identity in Christ?”

50s

#NoLastWord

“In my home, what does peace look like? It looks like at the dinner table. It looks like in the group chat. It looks like on a timeline, not needing to have the last word. Yeah. I know. I know. I know. I know. I understand. You're like, but I need to have the last... No. No. No. Sometimes it looks like not needing to have the last word. And asking ourselves before we comment, before we forward it, before we bring it up again, let peace make the call on whether this needs to be said by me right now in this way. That's what it looks like.”

34s

#TrustGod

“Sometimes we don't have peace because we're trying to get understanding. And he says, don't lean on your understanding because even in your understanding, you still won't have peace. Why? Because my ways are higher than yours. My thoughts are higher than yours. You can't even begin. Even if I told you, it still wouldn't do you no good. So therefore, how about you don't lean on your own understanding? about you just choose peace?”

38s

#WalkWithGod

“How do I get the peace? I gotta walk daily with him. Has to be a relationship that closeness comes from the intimacy of our relationship peace. He said, let that be the controlling factor in your heart. What does it do? It decides and it settles questions that will arise. He said to this peace, you indeed were called. That means you have access to it. That means it is available and it is yours as a member of the body of believers.”

42s

#TruthAndPeace

“And biblical peace is never achieved by abandoning truth. Biblical peace is never achieved by abandoning truth. We're not throwing out our morals, and this for the sake of of peace. We're not throwing out our convictions for the sake of peace. Okay? We're not doing that. So in some situations, there will be things that won't depend on you. But as a believer, as a follower of Jesus Christ, the part that does depend on you is nonnegotiable.”

40s

#ProtectYourPeace

“What does the active work of Christ on the inside of us look like? When somebody be... You get that text message and somebody talking crazy, I'm in pursuit of peace. Delete. I'm not looking at it. I'm not reading it. I'm not sending it to somebody else. I'm not screenshotting it to send to somebody else. I'm... Slide, delete. Why? I'm in pursuit of peace. When I open up and get to the office, up that laptop, and I see that email that says per my last email. No. No. No. No. No. I'm in pursuit of peace.”

41s

#PeaceOverBeingRight

“Just like when that officer says in pursuit, it means that somebody made a decision that they were not going to stop until they got the thing that they were aiming for. Not when it got dark, not when it got hard, not when the chase went on longer than they expected it. In pursuit means you don't quit until it's done. So I have to ask, are we in pursuit of peace or are we in pursuit of being right?”

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