“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
I have come to realize that each trial of suffering requires a new position of surrender and training. Your last trial can equip you somewhat for the future but each new trial brings its own learning curve and discipline that you must grow into. Suffering well takes time and constant effort. It takes the moment to moment discipline of yielding and entrusting your circumstance to the Lord. Trials are meant for discipline, training, strengthening, refining and to help others in the future but they can throw us off for a period of time. At the beginning of a difficult trial, it is easy to get overwhelmed by both the circumstances and the perplexing and mysterious nature of God. In time, we find our footing but only after work has begun between us and the Lord. There is always a purpose in whatever the Lord brings our way. We know by faith that the circumstances are always for our good and His glory; however, I have found in my life that there is often a direct ministerial purpose behind each trial that is brought before me, and many times I begin that purpose while I am walking through the trial.
We are told in 1 Peter 4:19 that, “those who suffer according to God’s will” should “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” According to dictionary.com, entrust means to “put (something) into someone’s care or protection.” It is interesting that in the heat of suffering, we place our soul into God’s care and protection. Not that we shouldn’t entrust the Lord with our trial but entrusting the Lord with our soul, protects us from the bitterness, rebellion, backsliding, and sin that can come when suffering enters our life. Entrusting our soul draws us to the Lord as He enters into our pain to heal us while we wrestle with our trial. It directs us to the only One who can see us through to the end- Our Savior. Entrusting our souls to the Lord when great loss, pain, or uncertainty has come our way is the hardest part of any trial but the only way we can make it through that pain. When a particularly devastating trial comes our way, Jesus is the balm that restores, redeems, and comforts us.
We have to remember that there is no escaping a trial. When we are in them, we are held there until what is meant to be accomplished is done. This is a hard truth. There is no place we can go from the Lord’s Sovereignty. God ordains and will accomplish His will…period. His power is unyielding, so, we can either turn to the balm or the storm.
I know that suffering is hard. Enduring day after day can take a lot out of a person. It is difficult to have no breaks from the pain and suffering we can feel. It is difficult to see life pass you by and your dreams, desires, and wishes left unrealized or temporarily out of reach. It is difficult to see some prosper while you suffer, especially if you leave one trial, only to enter another. If you have ever been there or are there, take hope for God is working and moving in you. There is a great purpose for our pain. We are light-bearers and our endurance proclaims the power of the risen Lord in us. Our very life brings Him praise. This is especially true when we suffer and no one sees. When you praise the Lord while you have unrealized dreams and bed-ridden bodies, only to be witnessed by the Lord, that is real worship.
I don’t know why the Lord calls some to suffer more than others. I don’t know why I am suffering the way I am right now. But I know my Father is good and loves me and He loves you. Heaven, not this earth, is our home and Jesus our reward. Let us entrust our soul to the Lord…lean in hard during our pain and worship there.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️U