Wow, after the last few months, the last few weeks, imagine my joy when I found this chapter in my Bible, which, if I understand it correctly is saying there is an end in sight...
I've been reading through 1 Peter, a really great book, if you haven't studied it, I encourage you to do so...
Having read through the first parts I came to the last chapter this week, which speaks to the shepherds and how to lead the Flock, I also find these important notes, no matter who we are, there are people who are following us, people who are looking at our lives as the love letter from God until they meet Him for themselves, and sometimes even then, they continue looking to us as examples, so these are very necessary points, 1 Peter 5:1-4.
But, if you, like myself have found yourself actually feeling empty, beaten down, trodden on by life and circumstances the last few weeks, months, probably year and a half, then this is for you, it lifted my spirit so, because when I've asked before, when will this ever end, some well-meaning people say, when we die. Which to the greater extent is true, when we die all this will stop and we won't have all these things to deal with, but now, at the moment, today, I don't have anymore of me to give... even just to this day... I'm feeling desperate, so this was a real breath of fresh air for me, thank You Lord!
Then, Peter, goes on (from Shepherding the Flock) to say Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you... great, we've heard this before, but here in these verses he discusses the how 1 Peter 5:5-11
Starts with submitting to our elders... oooh... some people don't like that one... the elders do this, the elders did this, the Bible doesn't say only submit to perfect elders... it simply says submit to your elders...
Now, if you elders are doing something extra Biblical, sure, then it's time to move on, you're not going to change them, that's the Lord's job, your job is to find a Bible believing, living for real, church for you and your family. So, you have 2 choices submit to who you've got, if they're inline with the word or find someone who is and submit to them... the choice you don't have is to not submit... (you gotta love Peter, doesn't start with the easy stuff)
Then, be submissive to one another... oooh, but brother so and so did abc... tough... you have to submit... if you have faults with them, take it up with the elders, who now know your heart, because they can see you're submitted to them... so, now, submit to one another, you're not a doormat, put your boundaries up, but submit, God will show you the line, if you want to find it... ask Him... this is something I had to learn and am still learning... just keep wanting to know and the Lord will answer the questions...
this one is precious... be clothed in humility... how on earth... think about it like this... in order to get to my heart a knife would have to go through my clothing, then my body, chest cavity and then penetrate my heart... your heart protection is humility, if you listen, look and see everything through layers of humility you will be less offended, you will find less fault, you will see less attack from the people around you... how, the way to do it, as said famously:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less,” wrote C.S. Lewis on humility in Mere Christianity.
Think about that for a while... if I think of myself less what someone else said is more likely to be heard from their perspective than my paradigm... paradigm's in my 'humble' opinion, can ruin or make the world for us... it's been said your attitude determines your altitude, I happen to think it is interpreted by your paradigm, which can be either healthy or toxic... so how do we start, let's ask God, how can I apply humility like a blanket that covers all other thoughts, emotions, desires...
WHY? For goodness sake why would I want to go to all this trouble... submit to elders, submit to others, find humility and wrap myself in it... sounds too much for me to go through... Peter's answer is simple... in due time God will exalt you:
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,"
As an added benefit, just a sideline note: vs 7 "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you" (we all know there's nothing small about this verse, I just love the way Peter adds it as a side note, but it's become one of our stalwart verses.)
What about our trials ... we're getting there, we first have to establish how we traverse these trials:
vs 8-9 tell us how to go through our trials: Be sober; Be vigilant; Resist the devil; Be steadfast in faith - and each of these can have their own unpacking, but this article is not for that. Then verse 9 says: Knowing that the brotherhood across the world have the same sufferings as you are now going through, don't loose heart, keep your eyes on the prize is what he is saying to us...
but then... my favourite part and it can so easily be overlooked, verse 10 is the key:
1 Peter 5:10-11 "10 But [f]may the God of all grace, who called [g]us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, [h]perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Can you see it... may the God of all grace (all grace!!) who called us (He is the reason we're enduring all of this, so He's vested in our welfare) to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus (our eyes are on eternity) after you have suffered a while (there's an after!!!),
what will He do afterwords:
Thank You Jesus that there's an after to this chapter... where You will come in and ensure you fulfill what You started
1 Perfect - He will perfect us, it's not my ideal version of perfection, thank You Lord, because only He knows the full picture, He will perfect us!
2 Establish - He will establish us, thank You Lord, according to Psalm 90:17
3 Strengthen - He will strengthen us, we need this so desperately...
4 Settle you - He will settle you, He will place you, firmly establish you and settle all that is concerned about you...
I haven't even had the time to go into the original definitions of these words, but they gave me so much encouragement, I couldn't wait to share them here! May you meditate on them and find His true deep meaning for you and even share that back, I'd love to hear what it means to you.
As always each concept has to be taken in the full understanding of Biblical truth, we can't take any one concept in and of themselves, so if you feel anything contradicts your understanding of Biblical truth, you're welcome to let me know and we can chat about it... have a blessed day!
