Day 31 | In Exile – Definition

Read 1 Peter 1

We’re all on a journey to our forever home, the Kingdom of God. In 1st Peter, we find a church that was displaced and experienced persecution. They were exiled and felt like strangers in their own world. The same can be said about the Church today. Many of us may feel displaced, like we don’t fit in or are wandering with no place to call home.

But God offers us so much promise in 1st Peter. We can be encouraged by God’s faithfulness to His Church. We will face trials and tribulations, but our faith remains unshaken due to the living hope we have through Christ’s resurrection. We are actually called to live as exiles—not of this world but citizens of the Kingdom of God! As we journey through challenges, God refines us and calls us to stand out through lives of holiness. Our faith is tested, purified, and strengthened. We are to love one another deeply, even when the world may not understand the convictions of the Church. Our love will bear witness to the transformative power of Christ.

Although we are in exile, let us remember we are not alone. We are surrounded by a larger spiritual family—a community of Believers who share our journey. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is we are made for another world.” You are a citizen of Heaven. One day, we will enter God’s Kingdom, not as exiles but as sons and daughters.

Pray for strength and encouragement from the Holy Spirit as the Church in exile awaits the promises of God that are still to come.