1 Peter 3

I want to share what I studied in the scriptures last night. This is a copy and paste directly from my journal.

1 Peter 3:15
   But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

What does it mean to sanctify the Lord in my heart? It means to bind myself to Him and dedicate myself to His sacred purposes. I need to have His purposes in my heart. I need to live with hope and love and exemplify His work, and when people ask why I am so hopeful or how I have so much joy, I need to tell them why, and that is through God and Christ, and that I am sanctifying my life to Him.

Have I been sanctifying myself to Him? I'm not perfect at it, but ultimately, that is what I want to do. I know that this life would mean nothing if not for God and Jesus Christ. I know that I am here to be tested and to live with them again, and I know that I am supposed to do their work. I do want to be a servant to them. I want to see joy and happiness here, and I want to share that with others. I want to be a beacon of light in this world of darkness and decay. I want others to feel what I feel.

How can I sanctify myself? Through trying to follow God's will. Through selfless service--to my husband, to my family, to members of my ward, to everyone I come in contact with. I need to see beyond myself.

1 Peter 3: 17-18
   For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
   For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

When I read this today, it made me think of the fact that just because we follow the Lord's plan for us and are doing the right things does not mean things will be super easy. We will still suffer trials and hardships, even when we are "well doing." But, it will be better if our sufferings come and we are doing well than doing evil. The trials we could experience from doing wrongs could be much harder and feel more hopeless if we are not doing good and leaning on Christ.

Christ was perfect, and he suffered more than anyone. Why would I think that just because I am following the Lord's plan, I should have an easier time? I shouldn't think that at all.