"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed."(1 Peter 1:13)
This is the season of graduations. Right now it is primarily College graduations and next month it will be High School students hearing Pomp and Circumstance. Hopefully time spent in school has prepared these folks minds for action. Hopefully they've developed a discipline of life that will help them to use their time wisely. And I also pray that they see the future in a hope and that their faith might be a constant source of encouragement for them.
It has been 30 years since I received my High School diploma, another 26 for college and 21 for my Master's degree, each prepared me for the actions needed on the next chapter of my life. What I've come to realize is that I must constantly be preparing my mind for the actions I will need to take to accomplish my daily goals in addition to the more long range dreams. I have to take time to think, pray to learn a little more through reading and conversation with others.
I don't think I ever really got good at being disciplined. I'm trying hard to develop disciplines in areas of my life for example physical exercise and prayer. It was certainly easier when outside forces created the structure. It is much harder to discipline one self.
But in all of the cares and concerns of my daily life and even as I dream of what might be in the future, I continue to set my hope on the grace of Christ, because that is what keeps me moving. That grace does not allow me to lose hope when things aren't working out the way I'd planned.
Perhaps the real key to success is to tap into all three, preparation, discipline and hope.
Blessings,
Ed
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