1 Peter 5.1-11, What it Means to Me

I have spent most of this year only focused on this passage of Scripture. In my own personal journey, this has become a foundational passage that I now see as a life verse. The identity and passion I have felt God leading me into are rooted in these verses, and I see the themes that I have identified in this passage as the elements I am working to develop in my own life. A college professor told me to "strengthen my strengths", and with this in mind, my life is going to be focused on what I have learned in studying these verses.

God has called and gifted me with the ability to lead. I want to spend my life investing in others, bettering their lives, and setting them up for success. I want to pour into people and equip them to impact the world.

God has challenged me to be a disciple making disciple, who lives with total trust in Him. This past weekend I had my first meeting with one of four men I have asked to intentionally invest in me over the next year, working on the themes I have identified in these verses. At the same time, I am seeking to invest in my brothers, my girls, and I am currently trying to step out in faith and seeking an opportunity to invest in the lives of college age young adults.

God has given me a desire to fight the enemy. I have a warriors heart, and I have seen the destruction of the enemy first hand. I hate him, I hate what he does, and I want to spend the rest of my life taking ground back from him and working to rescue those who have have been ensnared.

God has brought me through trials, and because of that I have faith to endure future suffering. I have seen the reality of hope and healing after loss. I believe that my greatest influence will come out of my deepest pain.

I want my life to be spent point others to God, making myself less and less so that He may become more and more. I want nothing I do to ever be about advancing myself, but always about making much of Him.

To me, these verses serve as a guide to life. The have been the foundation of my God given identity and the basis of the personal pledge I wrote and took before my brothers at our annual retreat this summer. I want to lead well, live humbly, fight the enemy, endure suffering, and glorify God.

I will honor Him as a faithful leader.

I will obey Him as a humble servant.

I will follow Him as a diligent warrior.

I will submit to Him as a teachable learner.

I will always point others to God, never advancing myself, and always seeking to worship Him.



Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11

To God alone be the Glory!