A coworker just sent me a scripture which encourages my spirit today, a day where I question God and wonder what my next move will be. It reads: Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5.6,7, NASB).

But of course, I decide to read the whole passage and in doing so I find this: 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 (1 Peter 5.10, NASB).

In reading this scripture, I notice two things. First of all, I take note that there will be suffering. In writing this, Peter does not say if you suffer because he assumes that you will suffer. In a world like we live in today, we don’t need much proof of that as we experience hard times, oppression, war and layoffs. We ask God why we have to experience these things but I guess they are part of the journey.

However, if you take note of the same verse, Peter also notes that suffering is just for a little while. War is just for a little while, injustice is just for a little while, the turbulent economic crisis is just for a little while. After the little while, Peter says that the God of all peace will perfect, strengthen and establish us. To me this means that the way that things are will not last forever and that one day God will turn seemingly impossible situations around for his glory. We just have to hold tight until he does and resist the advances of the enemy (Satan) who would like to do nothing better than discouraging us and devouring us in our season of vulnerability, hurt and shame.

Oh that God would give us all the grace and the strength to make it through the little while!Moving Forward