“Because He Cares for you!”-{1 Peter 5:7}

When Peter wrote this letter, the people were suffering, slandered, living in a hostile environment. People were suspicious and hostile towards them, they believed that the followers of our LORD Jesus were involved in Cannibalism, eating children, They believed they were anti government, they believed they were atheist as they did not believe Ceasar was LORD but instead Jesus was! There were approximately 60 million slaves and by law they had no legal rights and were considered as objects. Some of them were beaten they had been converted to Christ, but that did not  mean they were immune from suffering but because of their identification with CHRIST they suffered. Peter told them to cast all of their anxiety upon God, “Because He cares for you.”

What could some of the things be that caused them to be anxious, and even in these things they needed to Know He CARED for them

If we look at some of the things that could cause them anxiety in this book we can see several, some we can identify with others perhaps not so. In  I Peter 1:6 Peter speaks of the word “distressed,” that they were experiencing. The word speaks of  severe emotional stress. So let’s look at some reasons for their anxieties,  and see how God cares for them by giving them His Wisdom in each area to show how to deal with it. His Wisdom is part of His Care  –

  1. Distressed– 1:6 –  Peter makes it very clear that suffering causes “distress.” The word means “grieved,” “heaviness,” or “tearfully sorrowful.” It speaks of mental anguish, not necessarily physical suffering. “Distresses” obviously shows the pain involved but the GOD News is they are temporal, not permanent or eternal, when he says, “for a little while.”
  2. Fiery trials – 1:7 .
  3. Slandered– 2:11 -15 “… they slander you as evildoers,”-{v12} Doers of evil and was considered “criminal”??? – He cares for them to show them how to reason by imparting His Wisdom, … he reminds them of God’s attitude towards them, they are  “Beloved of God”-{v 11} and all that involves for Him to make it so. He tells them how to respond in the Ungodly society, he says, “Keep your Behavior Excellent”- That is your responsibility. ”Behavior” speaks of your lifestyle. It begins with the way we think “Excellently”-{Read Phil 4:8..to see what this involves}. “Excellent” is that which is the highest good, beautiful, attractive…Daniel was of an “excellent” spirit.-{Daniel 5:12}. Prov 17:7 speaks of “excellent speech…” Keep living your life one choice at a time in a beautiful attractive way to those who observe your life…HOW? One way – With your continual choosing deeds of kindness, goodness.
  4. Slavery – 2:18. There was sixty million slaves in that time, and they had no rights in the Roman court of law, they were considered as objects not people. They were not their own but the property of someone else.
  5. Injustice– 2:19- “ For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. ” Look at the pain in these words, “under sorrows,” and “suffering unjustly.” And note His care in imparting wisdom how to respond, when he says”… this finds favor , if  for the sake of conscience towards God, a person bears up.” Conscience towards God. Bear up for God, conscience towards God!
  6. Beaten – 2:20- “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?…But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds [c]favor with God.” He cares by telling them to do right and of they suffer for it it finds favor with God in comparison to doing wrong.
  7. Marital Strife – 3:1-9.- “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.” Here there is strife in the marriage, a disobedient husband and  God is concerned for the wife and imparts wisdom to show her how to respond in a  God honoring way. “
  8. Fear and Intimidation– 3:14 -“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,”. Note these painful words, “suffer,” “fear,” “intimidation,” and “troubled” He cares by imparting wisdom how to handle “suffer for the sake of righteousness and to do so He says “you are blessed.”
  9. Slandered and Reviled for your good behavior- {Even when you d o right, you are treated and accused 0f doing wrong} -3:16 -“and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.” Again look at the painful and potentially anxiety fueled words, “slandered, revile.” He cares for them and shows them how to deal with this situation, “Keep a good conscience,” this and the words, “so that” give the reason, explanation, the purpose for doing so and he says that by “your good behavior in Christ,” they will be put to shame. It is about thinking right and doing right He tells them. it is about character!
  10. Maligned over a changed life- “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;“-{1 Peter 4:3-4}.They “malign” you because you are not who you use to be, you are changed by God and it is an affront to them!
  11. Surprised {Shocked} by Suffering – 1 Peter 4:12. -“ Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;” He imparts His care through assuring, reassuring them with the first phrase, “Beloved,” how in the midst of this terrible, terrible suffering and anxiety they need to be assured and reminded as we do in tough times that we are loved, we are cared about and indeed ultimately we are “Beloved of GOD,” we are “God’s” and that God Loves us.  Sufferings are not His displeasure and somehow a sign of His rejection of us, no, thoughts like these can rise and seek to drown the mind and soul covering it with dark thoughts that spiral down into despair and  to give up, quit, But God cares and He knows they need to be assured, reassured of His love for them and the special place they have in His heart, “Beloved of God.” How we need to remind ourselves and one another constantly we are “God’s beloved”
  12. Reviled – “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” -{1 Peter 4:14}. Again look at the word of suffering “reviled,” it means. It is specific “reviled for the name of Christ.” And He says that those who are…to know “you are blessed” and he gives the  why when he uses the word “BECAUSE,”… what makes them Blessed is “The Spirit of Glory,” “…and of God rests upon you.” 
  13.  God’s Will -“Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”- {1 Peter 4:19}. There is a suffering according to the will of God! And He cares for them and shows them what to do, “entrust” the word means,” entrust your souls,” to “a faithful Creator” … “in doing what is right” So he imparts wisdom what to do, and says two things, Entrust yourselves to Him and keep on doing what is right!
  14.  Adversary, the devil -“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”-{1 Peter 5:8}. Note, It is personal. ” Your adversary, the devil.” The “devil” is not your friend or can be negotiated with, trusted, believed, God says he is your “adversary.” The spiritual battle is real and your opponent is wicked cruel but remember he is defeated. The word, “devil” means “slanderer,” and  the arch enemy to a person’s spiritual good. {Read Job 1:6, Zachariah 3:10;Rev 2:10}  and note his activity, “…prowls around like a roaring lion.” And his goal is “seeking someone to devour,” And again God shows His care for them, by imparting wisdom how to deal with their adversary the devil, namely “Be of sober spirit.”  then he continues by saying, “Be on the alert,”  and know you have an adversary, the devil who seek to devour you or others
  15. Suffering for Christ is Not Unique- Universal- 1 Peter 5:9 – ” But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. ” It is easy to lose heart and think you are the only one who is going through this, but he reminds them considering suffering, that it is universal among the followers of Christ, that they too have “the same experience…in the world.” And how should they deal with this news? He tells them. Who is the resist HIM speaking of…their “adversary the devil.”-{1 Peter 5:8} He shows His care for them by imparting wisdom how to handle it, namely, “Be sober, Be alert,” spiritually disciplined. “Suffering (3804) (pathema describes what happens to a person and must be endured. Pathema is talking about the actual suffering itself (not suffering in general) – it refers to the very pain that we are experiencing right now – those very things that we can “see, touch & feel” – those things that are causing us anguish and emotional trauma.”-{preceptaustin}

These and much much more could and can cause anxieties, emotional stress, and cause  a loss of spiritual equilibrium, and emotional trauma, the feeling of being out of control of a situation, to be overwhelmed, anxieties are distressful and rob us of joy, peace and focusing on loving God by thinking rightly about Him and Truthfully about Him! Like the disciples in the boat when they were hit with such a storm if caused them to be fearful and they woke Him up and with accusation said, “Don’t you care?” They doubted the care of God. And anxiety often starts with a “question” about God’s character. An attack on His character, just as in the  garden when Satan asked Eve, ”Did God say?… does He mean what He says, surely not, the implication, to seek to undermine Him and tempt Eve to act in defiance of God’s Word to her and Adam. Beware of the questionings that doubt God’s care which comes to your mind, the goal is to dishonor Him by tempting you and me to act independent of Him and His Word. The evil one sought to tempt her to question God’s goodness. Nothing has changed. Anxieties often can be an attack on the character,  by questioning His character and goodness… and the accusation, “Don’t You care?” In the difficulties of their lives He imparts His wisdom which is an evidence of His CARE for them.

God CARES for them in their suffering, distress, fiery trials; GOD CARES about them as they suffer slander, slavery, injustice, beaten. GOD CARES about the Marital strife, fear, intimidation, slander and reviled. God CARES when they are maligned, shocked by suffering, reviled, to know there is a suffering according to God’s will. God CARES about their conflict with the adversary, the devil, God CARES about the persecution they are encountering and wants them to know they are not alone. GOD CARES! He tells them to cast all their anxiety upon Him….”Because He Cares for you!”

The point is no matter what they faced, God was not indifferent and wanted them to Know, “…He cares for you!”

Note, for each condition they found themselves in He shows His care by acknowledging He knows and He CARES by imparting wisdom on how to handle their suffering situations they find themselves in.

What is it that is causing you to be anxious, worried? Have you given them to the LORD? Have you availed of His provision and promise for you in these times of temptation? What is stopping you from casting them all on Him? Do you doubt He cares for you? Ask him to help you remember how He has shown His care to you in the past. Thank Him that presently He does care for you. Thank Him that now you do give Him what is causing you to be anxious. Thank Him He cares for you now and forever!

God Knows, God Loves you, God imparts specific wisdom for you “Because God Cares for you!”

You never Suffer Alone or without His wisdom from His Word to help you!