"God is not motivated to condemn us, but to save us." Kathy Spampinato

There is a portion of scripture that has grabbed my attention recently, as both challenging and comforting. It is simple, yet profound. 1 Peter 5:6-10 speaks to my heart. The part that resonates, bringing comfort, is at the end.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

The part I want to focus on of course, is the part where God Himself will restore me, confirm His leading and call on my life, strengthen me for the journey, and establish me firmly in His will. That is where I want to park myself and rest. But why does this verse start with "after you have suffered a little while"? I really do not want that part! I am aware that I cannot avoid the challenges and pains that life brings, but I sure want to. Can you relate? Let's go back a few verses and see where God is leading in the process.

1 Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you...."

He is not arranging circumstances to bring us down a peg or two, but yet, we are humbled under His mighty hand. We are being guided by the hand of God, and His love extended to us. God is not doing the humbling, we are. He asks us to humble ourselves; to trust Him and take His direction. He will give us the wisdom and understanding we need in any situation.

John 3:16-17 reminds us that "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

1 Peter 5:7 "...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

God is not motivated to condemn us, but to save us. His call to humble ourselves is not to put us into a position to grovel in shame, but to position us for salvation and victory. When we humble ourselves before God, we admit that we cannot do it alone, and that we need Him to guide and direct us. We need God to heal and restore us so that we can have His peace in our hearts as we go through life's challenges. He promises to exalt us in due time. Our season of stretching and discomfort will not last. He cares for us, and is wanting to see us delivered into victory. God wants us to live in triumph and He is leading us in that direction.

1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

When we are in a season of pain and difficulty, it feels like we are alone; like no one else has it this badly, and no one can relate. However, God's Word tells us that we are not alone. There are people throughout the world who are experiencing the same kinds of suffering. Our tendency is to blame God for the situation, and for allowing us to suffer. The Word reminds us that we do have an adversary who is out to destroy us, but it is not God. He wants us to trust His guidance as He leads us to Him. We need to intentionally resist the enemy, and rely on God's love. This is a purposeful move, not a wallowing in self-pity, wondering why we are struggling, and blaming God.

1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We can walk in victory in spite of our challenges because our God will come through for us. He is our victory and our peace. Our battle will not destroy us. We will overcome. God is present with us in our times of trouble. He has promised and He will do it. We are returned to verse 10 where we started. We can trust Him!

1 Peter 5:10 ESV says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."