1316. Weekly News + It’s Only Just Begun

As much as we all wanted 2020 to end, I believe the unprecedented events since November 3^rd indicate that 2021 will be more of the same on steroids. With radical Democrats controlling all three branches of our government, we have all the conditions necessary for the perfect storm, here at home and around the world. Our enemies, foreign and domestic, will be emboldened as all the gains from the last four years will be systematically stripped away. Our private little worlds are about to be dramatically transformed. We will have to fight to protect the freedoms we have taken for granted for so long.

Take Comfort

Christians can take comfort in the knowledge that everything is playing out according to God’s sovereign plan, and part of that plan is to have us right here right now. He has been preparing us for this. Through His Word, He has told us of this day. We just never thought it would come in our lifetime, so we never categorized it as “urgent.” Well, now it is and it’s time to seriously consider what He has been telling us. I think 1^st Peter is the perfect place to start. It’s all about how Christians should respond to trials and suffering.

Submission First

I find it fascinating that Peter doesn’t deal with suffering God’s way until he has discussed in detail the need for submission in all areas of our lives. It becomes clear that God’s won’t be pleased with how we respond to persecution unless we have developed an attitude of submission, especially to Him. If we refuse to submit to those God has placed in our lives, we’ll never submit to Him.

Submit and Rejoice

We are not to think it strange when our fiery trials come because our Heavenly Father is using them to test our faith and strengthen us. Instead of complaining, we are told to rejoice as partakers of the suffering of Christ and to consider it a privilege to join Christ is the fellowship of His sufferings. Think about what Peter is telling us to do: submit and rejoice! This is a far cry from our natural responses, but if we are willing to deny our natural tendencies, we can respond God’s way simply by walking in the Spirit.

If we focus on what we see happening around is, we can quickly be overcome by feelings of hopelessness. Peter counters this by reminding his readers that Christ is the basis for our “living hope,” a hope that springs from Christ’s resurrection and includes an inheritance that is pure and permanent, one that can never be taken away. Our suffering will not be in vain. It will be worth all the pain and discomfort if we endure to the end, for after we have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.