“After you have suffered a little while the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Pet. 5:10).
Heavenly Father, thank you for the weariness-validating, heart-encouraging voice of the Scriptures. I have many friends who are suffering from a wide spectrum of losses and “crosses,” broken bodies and overwhelmed hearts. Thank you for being the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2Cor.1:3). And thank you for friends who suffer well and, therefore, know how to love well.
The Day of no more “death, mourning, crying, or pain” is coming (Rev. 21:4)—for which we are most grateful. Until then, teach us how to ache to your glory, bear each other’s burdens, and work for each other’s joy (2 Cor.1:24). Help us resist these and other lies of the enemy:
- “My friends must be so tired of me and my same messes. I’m sure they dread seeing my name come up on caller ID.”
- “This must be payback time. I know I can’t earn heaven, but I blew it early so God is getting even with me late.”
Nonsense—it’s the devil’s design and delight to rob us of your presence and each other’s kindness. As Peter said, by the clock and calendar of mercy, all suffering is just for a “little while”—which means grace reigns, not karma. Father, when life hurts the most deepen our experience of you as the “God of all grace.” And keep us moving towards our grace-dripping friends, not from them.
At just the right time, you will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us”—each and all of us. Thank you, Abba. May your daily mercies define us 7 times more so than our fleeting misery. Free to steward our crucibles as a shared calling—the essence of Gospel-friendship. So Very Amen.