EXPAND TO READ: 1 PETER 4 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 1-3): You tell us that we are to live our remaining time in the flesh for God’s will and no longer for human desires. You tell us that enough time has been spent in doing the worldly things in the flesh. I really need to move forward from my fleshly desires. I have done so much in my past and some things I even continue to do to this day that are still in my fleshly life. Please forgive me for my weakness in the flesh, Father. Forgive me for making it so difficult to release my past self fully to You instead of piece-by-piece. Help me to be better at remembering that I am a new creation and that my past self is no longer my present identity. Yes, I need to still remember those experiences and learn from them so that I may glorify You, but I should not allow those past experiences to define who I am. I am a child of God; I am a follower of Jesus Christ; I am Your son; I am a new identity in all of these and all of my old, sinful ways have been washed away by the blood of Christ.
PROMISE (verses 12-13, 16): You assure us that there will be challenges in this life. You promise us that there may even be “fiery ordeals” that we will have to endure as Christians. You also promise us, however, that if we suffer as Christians while doing good, then we should never be ashamed but should glorify You because of the title Christian. There are many that have desecrated and shamed the title Christian in this life, Father. It is why I struggle to call myself a Christian. Instead, I often say I am a follower of Christ to ensure that those whom I speak with are not automatically thrown off into pre-judgment due to the harmful interactions they’ve had with poor examples of true Christians in their lives. Help me to be better at truly embracing the title of Christian while at the same time being a positive example of what it really means to be a Christian in this life, Father.
ATTITUDE (verses 8-9): As Christians, we should all be well aware that love is Your top two greatest command as Jesus stated. We are to love You with all that we are and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves; these are the two greatest and most important commands. You reemphasize this in these verses. We are to maintain an intense love for one another WITHOUT complaining (stop yelling at me, Father). We are to be hospitable towards one another WITHOUT complaining (there You go again). I do live with a complainer’s attitude quite often in my life, unfortunately. I find myself complaining quite a bit in my life, but also giving into complaint sessions that others begin having. If I am to truly reflect Your love and Your hospitable nature, then it needs to be WITHOUT complaining as You have repeatedly told me in these two verses. Help me to put my complaining attitude from my fleshly side behind me, Father, so that I may truly embrace an attitude of intense love and hospitality for the purpose of glorifying You through all things that I am and do.
COMMAND (verse 19): This verse actually reveals to me two commands You are giving to me today. The first is that we should always be doing what is good. The second is that we are to entrust ourselves fully to a faithful Creator. You say these two commands as a result of God-willed suffering, because if we do suffer according to Your will, while doing what is good, then we should remain faithful to You and fully entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator. Help me to be better at following these commands, Father. When suffering, I do often default back to my fleshly ways. I don’t fall from my faith ever, but I do often fall from Your will for me in the moment and instead give into my fleshly attitudes/defaults again. Help me to be better at abiding in these commands at all times, Father, so that in those moments of suffering according to Your will, I continue to do good works and I give myself fully to trusting You who is always faithful.
EXAMPLE (verses 4-5): I find the example You give us here an interesting one, because I have experienced this first-hand in my life and with those around me. You say that those who do not truly follow You are often surprised that we don’t continue to plunge into our fleshly ways with them and they often slander us for it. You say that one day they will give an account for their actions, as will I. Although they may be judged by the world, they will ultimately be supremely judged by You. I know that I am to remain strong and firm in my faith through all things, but as I’ve confessed many times in today’s conversation, I do struggle with delving back into my fleshly ways here-and-there. Those dips are becoming far less nowadays, which I pray You are pleased about, but I do still feel that I could be and do better in my spiritual journey, especially when it comes to the opinions and words of those around me in this life. I do take a lot of them to heart instead of weighing them against Your truth. I often even allow those words from the world to redefine my identity, even though my fleshly identity is no more. Help me to be better in my spiritual journey, Father, so that Your strength, Your love, and Your peace are reflected through all aspects of my life.
*DAILY NOTE: Thank You for today’s convictions, Father. I guess You still feel the need to repeat Yourself to me quite a bit, so my hard head must still be getting in the way of some things. Today, You felt the need to repeat the phrase “without complaining” to me, probably because I still give into this quite a bit. Help me with my complainer’s attitude, Father. Help me to accept the things I cannot change and to embrace the truth that You bring to my life every single day. Help me to live my life in a loving and hospitable manner that always reflects You through the things I say and do in this life. I want to be a positive representation of Your kingdom in a world that has seen so many negative representations of Your supposed followers. Help me to be one of many vessels to bring back a good meaning to the title “Christian” in this life, so that as I go out into the world You are truly represented to all.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
Comments