Adjusting our perspective

IN THIS season of our lives we are under pressure everywhere. All around there are stories and cries for help. Lord when will this end?! It’s natural to always try to change bad situations and to see how we can fix or change them.

When we read 1 Peter 4, however, it indicates to us that perhaps our perspective (point of view) needs to be adjusted. It should lead us to ask ourselves if, as Christians, we are approaching these current circumstances correctly. What should our posture and outlook be? How should we be praying?

1 Peter speaks about suffering for Christ. The people Peter was writing to were under extreme pressure, far worse circumstances than most of us have ever encountered. Peter doesn’t console his readers, neither does he instruct them on how to escape the difficult trials. Peter didn’t ask God to deliver them from their circumstances, nor did he lead his followers to believe that the pressure would soon ease up.

In all of these things, Peter’s main message was that they needed to change their perspective of the situation. While acknowledging what they were going through, he focused their attention on eternity and on being ready for the Lord’s return. Peter was indicating that being ready for the Lord’s return was more important than escaping persecution and suffering.

We live in a time, especially as Believers in the western world, when persecution and suffering are rejected as part of the Christian journey. We have been schooled in the health and wealth, name it and claim it doctrines.

SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION WILL HAPPEN

From this chapter, however, it’s obvious that suffering and persecution will happen, and being prepared is extremely important. “The end of all things is near” he said, so live right. He corrected their perspective. When we don’t have the right outlook, we are ill-equipped to go the distance that we need to go. When we don’t understand what to expect, we will get disillusioned and discouraged. Peter was giving the Believers of that time a perspective that would allow them to honour God irrespective of what life threw their way. They needed to recognise that they had to live their lives in view of eternity. They needed to be ready.

We often hear persons speak of the “End Times”. The “End Times” clock actually started ticking when Jesus ascended into heaven. Perhaps Peter was thinking that the persecution they were going through was one of the signs that Jesus would return soon, and therefore he was helping them to order their priorities correctly.

If he was telling them to prepare over 2000 years ago, what would he tell us today? The New Testament emphasises being prepared for Jesus’ return. “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 21:40 (NIV). The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the most repeated teachings in Scripture. In the New Testament, it is estimated that one out of every 30 verses references Christ’s return. There’s an emphasis on being prepared.

This is something that we need to grasp as modern-day people. Many of us have lost sight of eternity, and are only living for the here and now. As Believers, we need to have this biblical perspective in mind. The Bible warns us about giving it the attention it deserves. When we look around us, the biblical signs of Jesus’ return are everywhere.

As we adjust our perspective of the times, it should lead us to focus on being ready.