"Prepare Your Mind for Action..."

Last year, Mrs. Feil (my wonderful, precious, God-given friend) and I memorized 1st Peter one. A verse that stood out to us was verse 13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Mrs. Feil often reminds me to prepare my mind for action, knowing the trials I face. Last year, when she told me that for the first time, I didn’t really know what it meant. I would think my mind was prepared when I knew of a trial I would face on a certain day. I believed that as long as I knew in advance, my mind was prepared! If something unexpected happened, I would be heart-broken, thinking I couldn’t have prepared my mind for action because I didn’t know the “action” was coming. How very foolish I was! Now, preparing my mind for action has become something very different. If we must know the future to prepare our minds for action, it is hopeless! God has shown me that preparing my mind for action means falling on Him each and every day—dwelling in His presence, filling my heart and mind with His word. Never before have I desired God and His word like I do now, and I must act on that. Each day I must bow my heart before my God when I wake, asking for His presence, joy, and peace throughout the day. I must make His precious word a priority every day in my life. The days when I use my schedule as an excuse not to drink in His word or spend time in prayer are the days when I am not prepared for action. I struggle through the day wishing I had more self-control, wishing my world was not crashing down around me. It is on those days that my heart breaks and I feel all hope is lost. It is on those days I cannot find God...simply because I have not searched for Him. As I began to see the connection between seeking God and my reaction to trials, I started to learn what it is to truly prepare my mind for action. There are days when I still fail to prepare my mind for action. Halfway through the day, I drive down to good old Sterling Lake and spend the time with my Lord that I so desperately need. I can’t survive a single day without Him. It seems so crazy to me that I don’t always start the day off the way I need to. I know that when I don’t prepare my mind, I am doomed to fail. Plus, I enjoy the “preparation time” so much! It makes no sense to skip it…yet, I sometimes do and am always so grateful to find that God is still there, gently whispering my name. It has been a delight to learn that I truly can prepare my mind for action, as long as I seek out the help of my Savior. What a joy it is to dance through each day as a daughter of the King, prepared for whatever this world may throw my way! Learn with me to take the time to prepare your mind for action every day. It makes such a difference and allows us to draw even closer to the heart of our Father.