Katie had grown up in a Christian home, attending church every Sunday and participating in various youth groups throughout her childhood. But as she entered college and then the workforce, she found it increasingly difficult to live out her faith in a world that seemed to value everything but God.
One day, while scrolling through social media, she came across a post from a friend that stopped her in her tracks. It was a Bible verse from 1 Peter 4:7-8: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
Katie was struck by the urgency of the verse, the sense that the world was barreling towards some kind of cataclysmic end. She felt convicted that she had been living her life as if it would go on forever, chasing after worldly success and pleasures. She resolved to start living for God, to prioritize prayer and love above all else.
It wasn’t easy. At work, she felt pressure to conform to the cutthroat, competitive culture, to gossip and tear others down to get ahead. But she remembered the verse from 1 Peter 4 and resolved to love her colleagues no matter what, even if it meant sacrificing her own advancement.
At home, she struggled to resist the temptation to binge-watch TV shows and scroll through social media for hours on end. But she remembered the verse from 1 Peter 4 and resolved to be alert and sober-minded, to use her time wisely and intentionally, to pray and read the Bible instead of mindlessly consuming media.
As she began living for God in these small but significant ways, she started to see a change in herself and those around her. Her colleagues began to respect and admire her for her kindness and integrity. Her relationship with her family deepened as she spent more quality time with them. And most importantly, she felt a sense of peace and purpose that she had been missing for so long.
One day, she was chatting with a friend who had noticed the change in her. "What’s different about you lately?" the friend asked. "You just seem so…at peace."
Katie smiled and quoted the verse from 1 Peter 4 that had inspired her: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
She went on to explain how she had been trying to live out these words in her daily life, and how it had led to a newfound sense of purpose and joy. The friend listened intently and asked if Katie could recommend any resources or books to help her deepen her own faith.
As they parted ways, Katie felt a sense of gratitude and humility. She realized that living for God in today’s world was not always easy, but it was worth it. And she hoped that her own journey could inspire others to seek out the same peace and purpose that she had found.
1 Peter 4:10-11: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."