Restoration

1 Peter 5:10-11 "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you in Christ Jesus. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."

No matter what kind of suffering I endure on earth, it is so wonderful to know that it will not last forever. When life on earth is finished, I will look back and it will seem like that of a mere second, and I will rejoice over the blessed fruit that grew from my tree of suffering. Only a God of grace would grant me the severe mercy of suffering, for He knows that through it I will come to a much fuller place of joy in Him.

I have been reflecting on suffering a lot more recently. The Lord has brought me to a point in the renovation of my heart that I am very content, at peace, and joyful in suffering. When I face suffering, I surrender my own agenda, give up my pride, cease to live on my own strength, and completely rely on Christ to sustain me. My immaturity as a believer is revealed, however, when there is no suffering in my life because I quickly become discontent, ambivalent, and self-dependent. I now gladly embrace suffering because my heart is made purer and I see God more clearly. Therein lies true joy and ecstasy.

In spite of the good that comes from suffering, suffering is still suffering and pain is still pain. Neither were intended to be a part of God's creation. Therefore my soul groans with creation for the redemption and restoration of all things. I am thankful that suffering will only last but a moment and that the day is swiftly approaching when Almighty God Himself will bring perfect restoration to His people and His creation. When Peter says that God will Himself perfect me, the word perfect indicates that something is in need of repair, mending, and realignment. The word he uses is katartizo, which means to complete thoroughly, to adjust, to frame, to align, to put a thing in its appropriate position, to mend, or to repair. The same word was used in Matthew 4:21 when James and John were mending their fishing nets.

The image of God in man has been tainted, damaged, and misaligned because of sin, but we know that the day drawing near when God will perfect, mend, repair, align, and put to its appropriate position our damaged and tainted hearts. We will be established completely new in Christ Jesus and will live forever in His eternal glory. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen!