The Life You Were Called to Live

God has an incredible plan for your life. Will you follow in the way of Christ? This is the life you were called to live.

1 Peter 3:8-12
8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. 10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, 12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.
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be a blessing

Everywhere He went, Jesus was a blessing to others. And He calls us to be a blessing also. When we are a blessing to others, they are glad to be around us. They know that we have their best interest in mind. In 1 Peter 3:8-9, we read some characteristics of those who are a blessing to others. Let this list be a self-check-up list for you:

  • be like-minded
  • be sympathetic
  • love people
  • be compassionate
  • be humble
  • not repaying evil for evil
  • not repaying insult for insult
  • speak words of blessing

love life

Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). There is no doubt that all of the events of life are not good, so therefore you will not love everything that happens to you and around you. But if there was one thing that was true of Jesus it was that He was full of life! In 1 Peter 3, we learn two important factors for living a life that you will love:

  • honoring God with your words
  • honoring God with the things you do

Specifically, verses 10 and 11 tell us to keep our tongues from speaking evil and to keep our lips from speaking deceit. They also instruct us to turn away from evil and do what is good. These are truly God-sized tasks: to always say the right thing and always do the right thing. Great news! God will help you. He wants you to love the life He has given you.

pursue peace

Too many people in our world today pursue conflict. They create chaos and discord. They live to stir up trouble. The way of Christ is a different way. A Christ-follower will be a peacemaker. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and we follow Him. We are to seek peace and pursue it, according to 1 Peter 3:11-12. This indicates that our direction will be toward peace and that we will work to resolve conflict. The Lord’s eyes are on the righteous and His ears are open to our prayers, but His face is set against those who do evil. When we pursue peace, we honor Him.

Be a blessing. Love life. Pursue peace. This is the life you were called to live.

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