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. 1 Peter 5:10 ESV
If you are suffering through a difficult time, let this verse encourage you. We serve a God of “all grace.” What does that mean? It means we don’t deserve God’s favor, we’ve done nothing to earn it, but we receive it anyway!
We don’t deserve forgiveness but He covers our sins with His own blood and no longer remembers our offenses! We don’t deserve to have the Creator of the universe stop everything, and listen to our prayers, but He gives us His attention and His heart breaks when we struggle in pain!
God’s love for you is far reaching and never ending. He promises in this verse that after you suffer “a little while,” He will personally step in and restore you. He will fix what’s broken and make everything right again!
He promises to confirm you. The Greek word used here is stērizō, and it literally means to make firm; to resolutely turn in a certain direction; to render constant. When your pain is so strong that your mind and your faith start to waiver, ask God to step in and give you the resolve you need!
He promises to strengthen you! Is the enemy is beating you down? Are you well aware of your weaknesses? Ask God for strength! Feel like you’ve blown it too many times, that God is exasperated with you and you’re just getting what you deserve? Remember, He is the God of ALL GRACE! Call out to Him and He will strengthen you once again!
He promises to establish you. The Greek word used here is themelioō. It means to lay a foundation for; to make stable. Are you having trouble standing firm? Are you unsteady and feel like you’re about to fall? Cry out to God and ask Him to step in and give you firm footing again! He will stabilize you and help you stand firm!
God has called you to eternal glory in Christ. Let that sink in. He wants you to share in His glory! He is for you, not against you! Be encouraged!