As we go through the book of 1 Peter, we’re now at verse 13. There are a few good points here, so I have taken the last couple of posts to talk about them. Today’s post will tackle the final one from this verse.
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.
1 Peter 1:13 NIV
The third section of this verse tells us to expect the grace of His return. That tells me that we need a future oriented mindset. We must learn to look to the eternal.
This means that we must stop seeing only the temporary – the things which are passing away. We can’t be distracted by the situations that come and go. Our focus has to be on what will be important 1,000,000 years from today.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3 NIV
Because we died with Christ, we’ve also been raised with Him. That’s the basis of an overcoming life. Sin doesn’t have the hold on us that it used to have.
We now have a higher calling. We kill off the desires of the world in order to seek the eternal.
That’s where we need to focus our attention. Paul says this in two ways. He tells us, set your hearts and set your minds on things above. Those phrases literally mean to diligently seek and obsess on things above, respectively. Our attitude should reflect an upward vision.
This is a very important truth. We receive from God when we seek the eternal. The writer of the book of Hebrews understood this.
People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
Hebrews 11:14-15 NIV
Eternally minded people search for, crave, demand a hometown. That’s why Jesus told us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We’re not looking for the temporary high that the world offers us.
Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16 NIV
The final result of this attitude is that God is not ashamed to be called their God. That’s interesting. Are there times when God is ashamed to be called someone’s God? I think this verse implies that He could be.
Before we pick up this eternally minded attitude, we’re only accomplishing what a man can do. Is God satisfied with what is merely possible even without His help? Of course not. He expects us to do a God sized work.
When that happens; the world can see His glory. God’s people need to stop chasing the temporary pleasures of the world and focus in on the eternal glory of God. Let Him accomplish what He desires in you.
Question: How do you stay eternally focused?
© 2025 Nick Zaccardi
The Spirit and the Word 