Where do you turn when you’re facing a difficult situation? The Apostle Peter wrote a letter to Christians who were living in a culture in which they were facing difficulties and persecution. You may feel like you’re in a situation and hope seems to be fading. Peter tells us that you can experience God’s grace in the midst of difficulties:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13)

Hope is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace. God’s grace is available – are you experiencing His grace? The word Peter uses for minds denotes the faculty of thinking, understanding, and moral reflection. This is the opposite of passivity – we are to prepare our minds for action. The word prepare conveys the idea of readiness. We are to stay sober in spirit, this is not only being free of intoxicants, but being mentally alert. We live in a feeling dominated culture. Feelings are important, but they are often a reflection of our thinking and if our thinking is not right then our feelings are not accurate.

We must set our hope completely on God’s grace. This is an imperative and the force of the verb indicates that we are to do it at once. We are to set our hope on God’s grace for what He has done in our lives. The context of this passage indicates that God has redeemed us from our sins and and He has given us a new birth. We’ve been transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Do you realize that you’re part of God’s family? Are you experiencing your birthright as a child of God?

We must also set our hope on God’s grace for what He is currently doing. We are shielded by God’s power (1 Peter 1:5) and He has given us inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8). Is your life characterized by inexpressible joy? Stephen Olford, exclaimed, “Joy is the flag that flutters at the mast when King Jesus is in residence.” All the fleeting pleasures of this world are mere substitutes for joy. There are no hopeless situations, there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.

We can also set our hope on God’s grace concerning His future promises. Peter tells us that we have an inheritance reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3). Your future is as bright as the promises of God. Perhaps you’ve lost the vision for what God wants to do in your life, remember hope is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace. If we believe that God has a special destiny for us, then we can endure troubling times today. Let your hopes, not your hurts, determine your future. Don’t lose sight of what God wants to do in your life.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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