“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
To encourage his readers Peter instructs the suffering church to be prepared by preparing their minds for action. How do they do that? By studying, planning, and praying. We are also to prepare our minds by what we read and watch and think about. We go to school to prepare our minds.
Peter wanted them and us to recognize right doctrine so we are not misled by every fanciful interpretation that comes along, and there are many. We are to be ready for hardship when we study the lives of the saints of the Bible. Make the Bible part of your life. Study it. Meditate on it. Pray about it. Plan to put it in to practice.
The second thing Peter mentioned is learning self-control. It is one thing to know the truth and another to practice it. Act on your knowledge. With most of our destructive behaviors the problem isn’t knowing what to do, it is the power to do it. Our emotions or inertia too often get in the way for productive Christian living.
There was a woman whom I worked in my nursing home days. Her husband left her. Her world caved in. It wasn't long before she was in deep depression. She continued holding bitterness against her husband. She wanted him to know how much he was wrecking her life. One day I was surprised to find the old fun loving and outgoing person she once was. I asked her what happened. She said, "It was time to grow up. I can't change what happened, I can't change how I feel about it, but I can change what I'm going to do about it. I decided to stop having a pity party and I was time to get on with my life.”
Self-control begins by not letting our circumstances control us. It is not denying the truth, but drawing upon a greater truth that is Christ is in you. Self-control involves acting according to the word of God and recognizes the Holy Spirit empowers us to move ahead.
The third thing to remember is, God has more to do and we are still being made into His holiness. Our hope is in God’s grace and the confidence of the second coming of Jesus. Yet God’s grace is brought to you day by day. Realize God has demonstrated His grace to you today. What blessings have you ignored? Remember, greater grace is yet to come.
There is a saying in India, "The world is merely a bridge; Ye are to pass over it, not build your dwelling upon it."
Application: Suffering and loneliness, hardships and difficulties prepare us for heaven. If we seek satisfaction in this life, we will be sadly disappointed.
Prayer: Lord, I know that blessings and greater grace is yet to come. Help me to set my hope fully on the grace to be given me when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
