When you are suffering, go to God
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. – 2 Peter 5:10
This wonderful verse written by the Apostle Peter, brings so many important messages for the Christian to take to heart. First of all he refers to the “God of all grace.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines grace as: “Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him.” Our God is a God of unmerited love and favor. Despite our sin, despite our shortcomings, despite our past, God still wants to pour out His love on us and show His favor in our lives. Not a god of war or of gold or of lightning, God is a God of grace. Loving us even when we denied Him. Peter knew this personally as he denied Christ at the time of Christ’s arrest. How sad and sorrowful must he have felt knowing he let his good friend, teacher and Savior down, at the bleakest hour! Yet Christ, in His resurrected body and given all power over Heaven and Earth, did not condemn Peter. He did not tell him “I told you so!” or ask Peter “how could you do that to me?” Instead, He forgave Him. That is grace.
Next we see that God in saving us through Jesus Christ, has also called us to eternal glory. Webster’s states glory is: “The felicity of heaven prepared for the children of God; celestial bliss.” For those who will receive God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, Heaven awaits! God is calling us to come to it. And will it be good? Well the Bible tells us: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9).
But while we are still alive here on Earth, we still face problems, challenges, tragedies and pain. We cry, we suffer and we become ill. Yes, Heaven is awaiting a saved believer in Christ, but Earth still holds problems and drama. The good news is that The Lord is here for us now as well. In the same book of 1 Peter, the Bible tells about what God expects from us when we are suffering or in pain: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God wants all of our concerns, all our hurt, worries, anxieties, fears and issues to be shared with Him. To be given over to Him to handle for us. Because He loves and cares about us.
We will suffer, but have faith, because the strength of Our Lord is perfected in our weakness. When Elijah was on the run from the satanic Queen Jezebel, he cried out to God to die rather than deal with her wrath. As he laid under a juniper tree hopeless and frightened, God responded by sending an angel to comfort him and supernaturally feed him for the journey to Mt. Horeb. God strengthened Elijah for his challenges ahead and stablished him by reminding Elijah that it’s not his battle. God is our strength! When we have faith The Lord fights for us. And that knowledge gives a peace that can settle us. A peace that passeth all understanding. When you suffer beloved, cry out to your God. And trust in Him to feed you, comfort you and strengthen you for the road ahead. All because He loves you so much.
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