In this world, we are going to suffer. It’s true. That’s what Peter is saying at the end of his letter. There are spiritual things going on in this world that he wants us to remember. First, we have an enemy, and a very real one at that. And his most successful tactical move toward defeating us is perhaps our own tendency toward distraction. We’d much rather look for ways to explain our pain and suffering, or find ways to numb or ignore it—anything but lean into it.
The world is blind to the schemes of the enemy, who has also blinded their eyes to the light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4–6). This is why Peter is pleading with Christ-followers to “be sober-minded, be alert.” Because our “adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Now, I can assure you that when facing down a lion, real or hypothetical, my first instinct will always be to flee, not stand and fight. And this lion Peter is warning us about is very real, indeed—whether we’re aware of him or not—and he is always stalking us, circling, looking for a weakness to exploit. Therefore, we are to “resist him,” standing “firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by [our] fellow believers throughout the world” (v.9). We must be awake to his schemes.
Suffering throughout a fallen world? The enemy would far rather we continue to be surprised by it, especially if, in the midst of our pain, we begin to doubt the goodness of our God. And so we must remember that our personal pain and suffering this side of heaven are not the exception (1 Peter 4:12). Nor are our struggles really with one another; they are with evil itself (Ephesians 6:12).
This enemy will use every weapon in his arsenal to abuse us and tear us away from the path God has called us to. He wants to keep us from maturing in the faith, and he most definitely does not want us to become who God created us to be: devoted lovers of God, who display His love and splendor to the world. Our enemy wants to wound us and will stop at nothing to do it.
But here’s the most important thing to remember: Jesus Christ defeated death and evil itself (John 16:33), and if we are in Him, we’ve conquered them too—the enemy cannot harm us (1 John 5:4, 18–19). We belong to a loving, all-powerful God, who does not abuse us through suffering. Instead, He draws us closer to Him, healing and transforming us through our pain—not in spite of it. Because of this, we will never be crushed under the weight of persecution or affliction. This suffering is only temporary, but our salvation is secure, our relationship with our Creator everlasting (2 Corinthians 4:7–9, 16–18). And after we have suffered a little while, God Himself will restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). Thanks be to our God.
Kara Gause is a content editor for She Reads Truth, happily residing with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.
To Betsy ~ I’m lifting my hands in praise to our God and King for this great news!! Thank you, thank you, Jesus! Thank you supplying this job for Betsy’s husband and for your provision for their family through it all!! Wish I could have posted this as a reply to your comment but the website won’t let me do that anymore:(
Our difficult season persists though it is definitely waning. God has been faithful through this journey. I admit it’s hard not to want to rush the process and see vindication immediately. We know this is a refining time and though it is not always pleasant we know He is caring and providing for us. We stay soberly- minded in the fact that He is good and His ways are good. It doesn’t matter if I fully understand or not. We trust and obey.
Churchmouse, I continue to pray for you in this season.
“But after we have suffered a little while, God himself will restore us and make a strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). I really needed this devotional this morning. I love how God always works it out to hear what we need to hear that very day we need it. As I mentioned earlier this week I have court this morning at 8:30 AM facing my kids dad.
Hi, ladies! Today’s devotional struck home with me, and I’d like to lay a prayer request on you all. My family is in a very rough season right now. My amazing husband is working a full time job on top of taking online classes to further his career and hopefully get a better job closer to home. What that means is I’m on mom duty 24/7 for our 10 month old son. (I mean, what mom isn’t?? But you get what I mean.)
I know he needs to focus, because the sooner he gets his schooling done, the sooner we can move to the next chapter in our lives. And it won’t last forever. But it’s really hard feeling like a single parent when you’re not.
I pray that I feel God’s presence surround me more as we trek through this hard season in our lives right now. I ask that God show himself to me more as a I struggle with the burden of not getting much of a break. I love my son more than words can explain, but it’s a lot of work taking care of him.
In a season of life like yours (that baby is now 22–!), I exhausted myself and developed a deep resentment against my husband, especially after babies 2 & 3 arrived. Hold tight to your vision for your future, but do all you can to fight resentment, even if it means spending precious money on a babysitter or asking a family member to come for you two to get a weekend away. Your baby needs you, but care doesn’t have to be just you all the time. These can be perilous years for young families; remember you are laying the foundation for your whole life, including after those precious babies start their own lives, and while the Lord will be with you if you have to rip up the floorboards to take care of mold, wouldn’t it have been better not to let the mold get under there in the first place?
V16: we do. Not. Give. Up. This is sanctification, the journey. The mustard seed. Obedience. Not being perfect but being made perfect in Him, by Him, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,I will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.” 1 Peter 5:10
It is two years next week since my husband lost his job. Two long years of mostly unemployment and living in two different states when he was employed. In the Fall, we thought we had a wonderful offer only to find it that all wasn’t as it appeared and we were back to no job just before Thanksgiving. This season has taken a toll on my husband’s confidence and it feels like it has aged me 20 years but in it all God has never ceased to be provisional. Working out things I would have never imagined possible. And now, this week my husband was offered a dream of a job that won’t even require us to move again. I don’t think any of us will fully exhale until he actually starts working but we are raising our hands in praise because none of this would have been possible without Him.
When we are in the middle of suffering it is so hard to understand but God is ALWAYS there, working something out for our benefit. So while we felt like our life and dreams were Isaac on the alter, God revealed His work in just the nick of time. If we, even being so exposed and vulnerable, keep our eyes on God, even as the enemy prowls around and plots against us, we will have peace on the journey. God is faithful that even if we are to remain in our suffering for awhile, to provide glimpses of Him, of His plan as we endure. We need only to persevere.
“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Prayerful that we all see God, that we trust in what is unseen and have firm footing in the middle of our battlefields. ~ B
Praying this also. Thank you for sharing your struggles & the resilience God has provided. Your faith demonstrates the power of Gods presence in all of us. Blessings xxx
All I can say is wow! Thanks for that awesome reminder that He is making us into a new creation!
It’s so easy to forget that Satan is prowling and nipping at our heels. I see this playing out on the national stage with some of the policies being put in place by both democrats and republicans. In complete opposition to the Bible’s stance on life and treating the marginalized with dignity.
My tendency is to get angry, or worst passive, when I think about the abuses of power. And yet God calls me to put on my armor: truth, salvation, peace, and advance the kingdom one small step at a time as a foot soldier. I should not blame these individuals so much as pray for wisdom and protection from Satans schemes.
Come Lord Jesus!!
As others have said, the thought of sober minded means not being influenced by what can cloud your thinking. For me, that is emotions and feelings. So many days, I live my feelings to the detriment of my family. The kids disrespect, disobedience or even just the…constant-ness of it all derails me into irritation and anger and I lash out instead of simply training through love with a clear picture of the hearts as what is important. Lord, may it be Your Spirit that influenced our minds today and not our feelings, emotions or any other substance that clouds out Your voice. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.