Benediction

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1st Peter 5:10, 11 (New American Standard Bible)

Suffering comes in so many different forms. What one person can endure will bring another to their knees. Why believers have to suffer is still a mystery. The Bible doesn’t give a definition of what suffering is. If it did many who are hurting would be told “That isn’t what suffering is, you need to stop whining and suck it up.” Unfortunately, many people, Christians included, say such unkind things to those who are struggling with their pain. Who’s to say the pain I deal with is no less painful than the pain you deal with? Even a little pain hurts. Pain is personal.

Peter offers a special benediction to believers in pain saying that the grace of God will perfect (complete thoroughly, adjust and repair) our lives. He will confirm us (bring stability), strengthen us (enable through anything) and establish (turn resolutely in a certain direction). God has answers for every phase of what hurts. One thing pain is not is pleasant but God even turns that to our advantage for pain has a way of maturing us in Christ, tempering and hardening our faith when we allow it.

Pain will not always be a problem. The weight of the world will stay with the world. Christ has called us to eternal glory with Himself. The pain we now suffer is but a pinprick compared to the glory we will share with Him. Right now as it throbs within our hearts, spirits and bodies we take heart that it will not last. Even as we are going through it Christ in His grace enables us in every way to get through it. The higher power of glory we shall have far outweighs what we endure now. Repairing of broken lives and situations, stability, strength and a positive direction; Christ sees ahead to what we will have and gives us hope and a way through what we suffer now. That is an encouraging benediction that is both perfect and timeless.

Ken

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