WHAT IS GOD DOING?

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (1 Peter 5:10)

THE FIRST WORD of this sentence is important: "But!" The Spirit has just finished reminding us of our adversary the devil, and of his wicked intentions. We are to set ourselves to resist him by steadfastness in the faith. But the Spirit will not leave us contemplating our enemy. He introduces the triumph-factor: "But God!" (v 8-9). In this expression he is telling us God is accomplishing His will in the midst of our conflict with the wicked one. The devil is seeking to devour us, but look what God is doing! Thus, we have Peter's intercessory prayer, uttered to God, and written for the consolation of the saints.

GOD OF ALL GRACE. In this expression, the Spirit traces all true benefits back to a beneficent God. It is similar to saying "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). Also, the idea of limitlessness is conveyed. Believers are in a situation where grace is abundant and exhaustless. There is no extent to which God will not go to bless those who believe in His Son. He will withhold no good thing from them. As it is written, "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psa 84:11).

CALLED TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY. Because there are "many gods" (1 Cor 8:5), the true God is identified. It is the One who has called us to participate in HIS "eternal glory." This parallels with the Spirit's words, "whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Rom 8:30). This is the glory into which we are being changed, from one stage to another (2 Cor 3:18). Any form of religion that comes short of this is spurious and worthless.

AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE. The way to our appointed reign is through the crucible of suffering. Only "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim 2:12). Our suffering, however, is only for "a while." From the standpoint of faith, it is "but for a moment" (2 Cor 4:17). The duration of our hardship is not known to us, but it is known to God. It will not extend one second beyond the point where it is of eternal benefit. Our "times" and our sufferings are in the hands of our gracious God (Psa 31:1; 1 Cor 10:13). We are "appointed" to our afflictions (1 Thess 3:3), and they are strictly governed.

MAKE YOU PERFECT. Our sufferings do not "perfect" us automatically. God Himself MAKES us "perfect" by means of them. Here, perfection means to complete the preparation for an appointed role and place. Elsewhere it is called "finish the work" (Rom 9:28), or completing the work He has begun in us "until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:6). In the sense of this text, we will be perfected when we are ready to leave this world.

STABLISH YOU. To be established is to be made firm, reliable, and stable. It is to cease to be tossed to and fro by the circumstances of life and the doctrines of men (Eph 4:14). This is something God Himself does "after" we have "suffered a while." Working through our faith and in His grace, the Lord brings us to a point where we are "no more children." Life does not jostle us as it once did, and we are able to "stand in the evil day." Surely, God "is of power to stablish you" (Rom 16:25). This is having "root" in ourselves (Mk 4:17).

STRENGTHEN YOU. Being established is being firmly fixed or anchored in the appointed place. "Strength" has to do with personal solidity and integrity. It is being able to extend ourselves in the wilderness-journey of life without giving up. It is spiritual stamina, where we do not become "weary in well doing" (Gal 6:9). To be strengthened is to recover from spiritual fatigue (Isa 41:10). It is to be made equal to the battles of life and the challenges of the wicked one (Eph 6:10). Strength results in refusing to yield to the temptations of the wicked one, and declining to "quit" (1 Cor 16:13).

SETTLE YOU. To be settled is to be stable and grounded. It speaks of an aspect of spiritual life that is slightly different from being made perfect, established, and strengthened. Settling has to do with being firmly planted on the appointed foundation – blended, as it were, with that foundation. This is the process of reference in Ephesians 2:20-21. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." That is being settled, and is the work of God!This is all "the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psa 118:23).

The extent and effectiveness of this indispensable work is worthy of your extended consideration.– Given O. Blakely