To be a master of self is to live with clarity, restraint, and devotion to God.
1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
No one knows the day or hour of the coming of the end. Peter warned the early Church of the nearness of the end of the age, yet, two thousand years later, followers of Christ are still waiting. But just as Jesus told the disciples that it is not for them to know the times, so shouldn’t we bother ourselves too much with the specificity of dates and times. What we should prepare ourselves for is the guarantee of the end of all things.
With the idea that we are nearer to the end than when Peter first wrote these words, we should take ever more seriously the command to be self-controlled and sober-minded. Having a clear mind, sound judgment, and vigilance was reckoned by the Greeks as a cardinal virtue that characterized an honorable person. This, along with the avoidance of excess, were considered essential for keeping social harmony.
If there is anyone who should have mastery over their desires and appetites, it should be us, believers, who claim to have been freed from the bondage of sin. And that is the truth of the matter for those who follow Christ. We have been born again through the resurrection of Christ, and the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that is in us. Therefore, we have everything we need to live godly lives, a truth affirmed by Peter in his second epistle.
Evidently, having self-control and being vigilant are necessary aids to our prayers, particularly as a congregation. As we wait for God to fulfill His promises, we ought to demonstrate our watchfulness not through speculation about what may happen but by being faithful and prayerful in everything we do.
If we live a life that is sober, self-controlled, and attentive to God’s will for our lives, we will grow more devoted to Him personally and as members of His Church and will be aligned with Him in our desires. This enables us to be prepared, not because we know exactly when the end will occur, but because we are intentionally following Him through every step of our lives until the end.
Lord, give me the grace to be sober-minded and self-controlled, attentive to Your will in all things. By Your Spirit, help me gain mastery of self and live prayerfully as I await Your purposes. Amen.
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