Mental Strength and Hope

(Taken from the 8-day devotional on Peter)

Love While You Can

Trials will either sour you to God and His people or grow you. As Peter writes this book, he always has his mind on growth. When we are facing trials, we often want to be talked off the ledge of quitting; we want coddling, but what we need is to be reminded of our greater calling. So how we do we grow into the great calling God has on our lives? What steps can we take to see forward progress? Here are two areas we should be seeking to grow in as we wade the waters of difficulties.

Mental Strength

Peter is encouraging us to target what can trip us up, then deal with it so that we can run freely without mental hindrances. Mental health is different for everyone, and it’s also important for everyone. You might need medical help to get to ground level (not everything can be “prayed away”—it is not a betrayal of your spirituality to need mental help). But at ground level, every single one of us need Jesus in order to grow to the next level of freedom and health in our minds. It takes active work to be mentally strong.

Realistic Hope

We need to have a hope that is grounded in the promise that our eternity is anchored in Heaven, but we also must acknowledge the reality that life between now and then is difficult. We need to have a realistic hope that doesn’t gloss over trouble but anticipates adversity and plans for it. When we spend time with Jesus, He tunes our hearts to hear His voice so we don’t follow the voice of a fake shepherd. Jim Collins wrote in his book, Good to Great, about the Stockdale Paradox. The Stockdale Paradox states “There is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

When we take care of our health and our hope, our trials can spur us toward progress.