A Lesson From 1 Peter

Last weekend Pioneer’s college leadership team went on a retreat where we learned valuable things about approaching our plans for this year with college ministry. Although we were there to learn about our roles as leaders and to talk about what this ministry can look like, I gained insight on areas in my life that I feel need changing. I’ve felt through this semester that God has called me to live a different way than how I am going about my life right now. I came to realize the amount of time I spend taking naps, getting on facebook, checking email, and just hanging around my room is far too much. I have known for some time there are habits in my life that need changing and now I feel ready to actually try and change them. I say try, really it will mean surrendering it all to God and allowing Him to work in me and provide the resistance to temptation I will need.

As college students it is so easy to rationalize taking time for ourselves. We feel like we really need that two hour nap, or that it’s okay to splurge on some cheesecake and chocolate cake during fiesta day in the Caf (guilty!), or that checking facebook 10 times a day is no harm as long as it’s not an hour at a time. But as I came back and glanced through His word, I found the inspiring and convicting verses written above. We are to be self-controlled, to resist our fleshly desires, and to be holy in all we do. That might sound like drudgery, but it can actually become a great joy when we follow in the ways Jesus wants us to. If I would start studying more, spend less time with social media, take care of my body by not eating all the junk food I see in sight, and maybe just walk around campus and enjoy the beautiful weather; I would feel more accomplished, less stressed, and it might even give me opportunities to talk with people and invest in others lives instead of thinking of myself. A challenge for this week is to evaluate how we live each day. Are there things we do that seem self-focused instead of God-focused? Is there a way we can honor God more with how we conduct ourselves and how we spend our time? Are we being holy (set-apart, conducting ourselves in a way that is God honoring) in all we do? If you feel there is something in your day to day life that could be changed to better honor God, start now! There is no time like the present.

S