Encouragement in Life's Suffering

By: Lauren Thomas 

I’m guessing that you could use some encouragement right now. I could! Life is full of disappointment and troubles. Thankfully, there is plenty of encouragement we can find on the pages of Holy Scripture. One verse that I find particularly encouraging when I am facing something difficult is nestled in 1 Peter 5. Let’s break it down and soak up all the encouragement we can from it:

 

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

After you have suffered a little while… Peter wrote to Christians who had been dispersed under terrible persecution in the Roman empire. The suffering he was referring to was persecution that most of us in the US have never faced. And yet, no person alive is immune to suffering. We all face loss, sickness, brokenness in relationships, and various challenges that bring suffering into our lives. And while this suffering can feel unending, the reality is that in the light of eternity, our suffering here is brief. Looking back from heaven, we will one day think how short our suffering on Earth was. 

 

…the God of all grace… In James, God is referred to as the “Father of mercies.” All grace, all mercy, all compassion has its origin in God himself. This is what he gives. This is who he is.

 

…who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ… If you believe, then you can be sure he has called you. And if he has called you, then one day you will find yourself in eternal glory, Heaven, in the midst of his goodness. This is all accomplished in Christ, by God’s grace.

 

…will himself restore… Oh, how I long for restoration. I long for restoration of relationships, of health/youth/body. I long for restoration after the weariness of overwhelm. I long to be filled back up after a long day of feeling I am being poured out. I long for a deep soul restoration, a restoration that takes me all the way back to how God originally intended me to live, in the Garden, in his presence. But even here on Earth, there is promise of restoration in him, through Jesus, our Great Shepherd.

 

…confirm… Yes, all the bad things you faced, God brought you through them. Yes, He was there with you all along. Yes, he was shielding and shepherding you. Yes, your soul was safe in his grasp. Yes, he loved you all along.

 

…strengthen… He’ll make you strong. He’ll be your strength after you’ve experienced your own weakness. He will lift you up, exalt you, strengthen you.

 

…and establish you. He will cause roots to go down deep, grounding your faith, in spite of what you’ve face, because of what you’ve faced. You’ve won’t be moved. You won’t be shaken. Your confidence in him will flourish. 

Thank you, Lord, for this promise of your goodness to us in our suffering!

 

Reflection: 

What part of this verse gives you the most hope? Why? Is there someone you know who needs this verse spoken over them?