13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
This is a powerful message from Peter. We can apply this in a variety of ways. Maybe preparing our minds for action and self-control can be staying sober, staying calm, staying positive or something to that effect.
If you are new to the word or have been trying to make things in your life more in line with the word, then “don’t slip back into your old ways,” is what we are working on. Progress is a never ending process, but baby steps is a great way to stay on the right path!
God gives us self-will but that doesn’t mean that we are right. “You didn’t know any better then,” clearly describes how we are not right. I can attest that I spent a lot of time drinking, smoking and doing drugs. Granted, I thought I was right where I wanted to be when I did these things, but now that I am sober, I realize that I was in “la la land,” and it’s better I stay straight on the path that God has put in front of me instead of swerving off-road and being stuck in my old ways.
I recommend doing the same, granted you might not be struggling with alcoholism or drugs. Take the first step to get on the path that God has prepared for you, or continue on the path that you have been trying to stay on. I promise if you do good things for God, then he will do good things for you. On the flip side, if you do bad things against God, then the result will play out the same cards.