Peter answers that question in the verse below.
1Pet 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Peter is actually praying in this verse, but, tells us a little about God, and what God has called us to, and what God will do in our lives.
First of all, God is the God of all grace. He is not just the God of grace, but the God of all grace. All grace is from God, and all grace would also include all the grace that God could give, and all the grace that one could need.
Secondly, God has called us in Christ to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus This speaks to the fact that our salvation, includes not just the forgiveness of sins, and the giving of a new life, but of the giving to us eternal glory. We will share forever in the glory of God.
After we have suffered awhile, which speaks to the fact that there is at some point an end to suffering, and the context deals with this life. But, the point that Peter is making has to do with the work that God does in our hearts during the time of suffering. A number of specifics are mentioned.
Perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.
Perfect is translated to mean, to complete, or mend, equip, arrange and adjust, to fit, to frame, and to prepare.
Establish, to make stable, place firmly, set fast, make firm, to render constant, confirm, one's mind.
Strengthen, is to make strong, and is used of one's soul.
Settle, meaning to found, ground, lay the foundation, make stable, and to establish.
So, these are the blessings that come into our lives through the times of suffering as we walk with the Lord, and allow Him to work in us, that which is well pleasing in His sight.
I pray that this devotional today, is of help and comfort to you, in that it gives you some ability to see down the road abit, and realize that God is at work, and will work to bring these blessings into your life.
Pastor Bob Grenier
