1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, as strangers and exiles, I urge you to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Peter reminds us that we are sojourners and temporary residents, which is not a denigration of this life, but a correction of our position. Sojourners use the world without being bound by it; only those who settle place their security in possessions, relationships, and achievements. When I forget that I am merely passing through, I become anxious about loss, proud of what I have, and more easily succumb to the desires of the flesh. Recognizing my identity as a "stranger" teaches me to let go, to practice self-control, and to re-place my hope in eternity.
Lord, remind me that I am not the master of this world, but a sojourner in Your kingdom. Help me, in using all that You have entrusted to me, that my heart may not be possessed, nor my hands bound. Let me, knowing that I am but a sojourner, be able to control my desires, despise transgressions, and faithfully rule. May my heart not rest on earth, but find rest in You until the day I see Your face. Amen.