In this first letter, Peter writes to Christians who have begun to experience attack... attacks which are about to intensify. (For the lead-in to verse 13 see verses 3-6.)
“You’re in hard times”, says Peter, and harder times are coming (due to the spreading persecution under Nero).
His aim is to give them insight, encouragement, comfort, and hope.
In this three-part series we’re going to talk about Peter’s prescription for tough times.
If you are facing difficulties in your life, our prayer is that this series will be just what you need!
In verse 13 Peter gives the oppressed believers to whom he is writing three bits of wise advice and counsel. We’re going to look at the first of these today.
Tighten Up Your Thinking
“Gird up the loins of your mind,” instructs Peter. (Your translation might say something like “prepare your minds for action”.)
I love the imagery of this text. The picture is that of a person pulling up the hem of their robe and tucking it into their belt so they will be unencumbered for action.
It’s always important... but in tough times it’s essential that we take charge of our thought life. (We’ve written an entire course on this crucial practice – How to Build an Unbreakable Mind.)
Here’s how we should be thinking... especially in tough times:
1. Truthfully
Tough times will beat us down if we don’t apply this essential criterion.
I see this matter playing out in two ways with clients every week. One way is when we accept falsehoods as though they were true (“This is never going to end,” for example).
When your skull chatter (self-talk) begins to bray at you and tell you all sorts of toxic messages, do you stop and question the validity of those messages?
Do you ask, “Is this true?”
The other way is when we lie to ourselves to avoid painful realities. (“I’m doing great,” says the woman experiencing the following: her husband has left her for a younger woman, in the wake of which her teenage son has begun using drugs and her adolescent daughter has become promiscuous.)
Goethe said that all deception is self-deception.
We can’t think well or live well when we lie to ourselves.
2. Proportionally
We have a term in psychology for disproportionate thinking – catastrophization.
Simply put, to catastrophize is to experience a present situation as being significantly worse than it actually is.
Beware of catastrophized thinking... and the extreme statements it leads to – statements like: “I’ll never be able to....,” ”I always....,” “Every time I....,” etc.
(Those who have experienced significant trauma in their lives are especially susceptible to catastrophization.)
3. Spiritually
Sound thinking always factors in spiritual realities.
“How does Scripture inform what’s going on in my mind right now?” is a question we Christians should ask ourselves every time our skull chatter gets wonky.
“What biblical principles should I be applying to my current thoughts?” “What promises has God given us that specifically relate to these toxic thoughts?”
These are the kinds of questions we should be asking ourselves during tough times.
Facing tough times right now? This doesn’t mean you’re weak, or doing something wrong, or are a “bad” Christian.
The Word assures us that tough times are not only normal, but they are an intentional tool the Lord uses in our lives to fashion us into the image of Christ.
Aren’t you glad the Bible tells us how to deal with them!
Til next time,
