The
apostle Peter encourages the church not only to anticipate hardship
but to prepare for trials that will inevitably come. One way to do
that is to prepare our minds. Through suffering, our confidence can
be renewed, knowing that Christ is at work in us. For many of us, the
difficult times in life lead to the most powerful testimony of God’s
presence and work in our lives.
Not
only are we to prepare our minds, but we must also prepare our hearts
to endure hardship. When Peter writes, “Love covers over a
multitude of sins,” he is referring to the way our sins affect our
relationships with other believers. The Christian life is not about
finding faults in one another. It’s about mercy and forgiveness. It
pleases God when we get along together. How can we do that? We show
hospitality, making guests feel welcome and sharing our resources. We
serve one another, being good stewards of the gifts God has given to
us. We serve and encourage one another as people who speak “the
very words of God.”
If
we expect to thrive in hard times, it will require unity and a
commitment to live peacefully together. Loving generously also
demonstrates our own understanding of the love and mercy of God that
we have received.