5 ways you can respond when you know the end is coming closer
By Dean Collins
What do you do when the end is near? Think about the end of your primary parenting responsibility as your children leave for college, or your retirement from a lifetime of work. Would your reaction to each endpoint be different? What if the end is in reference to how much time you have to live? Or maybe the end anticipates the time left before Jesus returns? What do we do when we face different seasons of end?
The end is at hand
Peter has some good advice. He gave it to disciples who were experiencing or anticipating the experience of suffering because of their faith. Peter gave them a hopeful comment: The end of all things is at hand. Peter apparently was both wrong and right. Those living in suffering would not have to suffer much longer. The end of suffering was coming soon. All suffering comes to an eventual end. And knowing that Jesus will remain with us to and even through our suffering certainly brings hope.
But the end of time did not come to those who first received Peter’s epistle. The return of Jesus is closer than it has ever been, yet none of us can predict or know when it will happen. Yet Peter’s words remain: The end of all things is at hand.
The sky is not falling
So what approach should we take in anticipation of life’s endings and of Christ’s return? I’ll suggest one thing; don’t follow Henny Penny’s hysteria running around and crying that the sky is falling! Sadly, some Christians panic with every tragedy in the world and are sure the most recent calamity is a clear sign the end is near.
What we can do is follow Peter’s inspired words. These actions will help in planning for any ending you will face:
1. Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. In other words, don’t allow your emotions to get away from you. Outbursts are probably not helpful to you or others when coming to the end of any situation, even in anticipating death. And being sober-minded and sensible about the situation at hand is helpful to everyone.
2. Keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. As we approach an ending, we might be tempted to pull back from others out of a subconscious desire to avoid feeling pain. But it is at ending times that we can and must lean in so others know the love of God through us. And whatever our mistakes or those of another, love will prevail in the end.
3. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. Opening our hearts, homes, and lives to others might be the gift that gets someone through their difficult ending. It might help us as well that we remained open and generous to the end.
4. Use your gifts to serve one another as stewards of God’s grace—whatever your gift, whether generosity, leadership, hospitality, service, or one of a hundred others. Each one, seen and experienced by others as we face endings, is an expression of God’s grace and love.
5. Glorify God through Christ in everything you do. Paul said whatever we do in word or deed, do it all to the glory of God. Peter agrees and reminds us that as we face all endings we are first and always to give God glory.
We can share the help
As we wait during this season of Advent, we all know that what we need has been given as a gift from Heaven. Matt Redmon’s song “Help from Heaven” is a beautiful reminder of help that came to earth in the person of Christ to save us all. As we await Christ’s final arrival, we can consider that Peter might have very well been nudging us to be the help from Heaven for someone facing difficult endings.
May we celebrate Christmas even today by showing someone the help God has offered. Listen to this song as you meditate and pray.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV
Photo by Mohamed Rishfaan on Unsplash
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
To download a printable version of today’s post, click here.