“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit{Entrust} themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”-(1 Peter 4:19}
There IS A “Suffering ACCORDING TO The Will of God…” In such times two things to remember and DO. Firstly SUBMIT, entrust, commit yourselves To the Faithful Creator and Secondly, “CONTINUE TO DO Good!” It already shows they are “doing good,” and he doesn’t want suffering to halt or divert or stop, but encourages them Don’t stop doing good, but “CONTINUE” doing good, in the midst of “…suffering according to the will of God!” You are COMMISSIONED…Keep on DOING Good! You are doing good. Here is God’s Perspective to those of you “suffering according to the will of God” Know God has a revealed will that includes suffering according to His Will!
SUFFERING ACCORDING TO THE “WILL OF GOD.” – While many shy away from, deny or denounce that there could be a suffering that God’s people experience, the Scriptures clearly teach there is a suffering “according to His will!” “Suffer” is in the present tense, which speaks of “a lifestyle of suffering” not a onetime but a lifestyle. It is not an evidence of God abandoning His own, though the evil one would seek to inject such evil, sinful, and wrong thinking to dishearten and torment the believer with false accusations ultimately against the Character of God, or using others, telling you it is so, or God must somehow be displeased with you and is “punishing” you. He bore our punishment on the cross, and there is present tense,” There IS Therefore now no condemnation for those who are in CHRIST.”- { Read Rom 8:1-2}. Let all be silent and… listen… to God… from His Word. It is then in acceptance of such to know how to respond, namely…
KNOW WHOM TO DO IT WITH; SUBMISSION- ” Entrust” it’s a banking term. It had the idea of “Depositing,” precious resources into the safety of a reliable friend. The word carries the of depositing, it has the idea of committing with confidence. So in times of suffering entrust your soul into the safekeeping of the One who is reliable, trustworthy, faithful! There are different types of places, people, “bank’s” we deposit our soul’s cares, troubles in for comfort, support, Such as the “Bank of Booze!” Depositing our lives into drink that produces a return of destruction, devastation, hopelessness and futility though like other false “bank’s” promise so much but cannot deliver in times of trouble. Even depositing in the bank of “sports” can be vain, hollow if it is where you seek escapism from your cares or to find your significance in. Name them, there are so many MANY FALSE “banks,” people deposit their lives into, from “religion,” to education, to what they wear, where they live, what they drive, to nationality, etc, and they deposit their lives, security, significance and eternal safety in “broken cisterns” that were never meant to satisfy or secure the soul! For all are bankrupt systems! “But God…” in this verse shares wisdom where and WHOM to “ENTRUST,” deposit, in times of suffering, namely HIMSELF, Faithful Creator, in need of nothing outside of Himself to sustain or maintain, inform or supply or benefit Him. He who “upholds” the worlds by the power of His Word, sustaining it all, effortlessly, having created it all. He is the One whom you and I are called to deposit into His care, our soul’s. -{Read Hebrews 1:3}. “Entrusting,” committing their souls into the faithful, trustworthy bank of God for safekeeping! Grammatically it is keep doing this as a lifestyle! When suffering comes, keep entrusting yourself to Him. Commit yourself to HIM your Faithful Creator. We can trust Him who Created us that He has the Power to keep us, protect our soul for eternal keeping! We can lose our life but not our soul!
“Entrusting” when suffering comes, keep trusting Him! And the evidence you are? You continue to do what is right and good!
Dwight Edwards writes that…
“When suffering comes we all look for some source of comfort and, if possible, relief. There are many things into which a man can deposit his soul in order to alleviate the pains and heartaches of life. Money, alcohol, sports, business, even a favorite hobby can all be used to temporarily stifle the cries of the soul. Yet all these things are really ruthless bankers because they promise much but never fully keep their bargain. And so we are being told that in the midst of suffering, we need to be sure and “deposit” our soul into the hands of God. He alone is a faithful banker who will abundantly increase the value of our life.”
Note He has them commit not to a theory, nor “positive thinking” but to a PERSON, Creator God. He leads and leaves them with the PERSON of God! Suffering can tempt us to isolation, questionings, doubts, fears, anxieties but Peter wants to lead them not to isolation or doubting God’s care for you. {which is the evil’ ones desire} but to deeper INTIMACY and Identifying with God!
KNOW WHAT TO DO; COMMISSIONED– And then encourages them to ACT and Continue to Do what is right and good, don’t withdraw, deviate but press on, Stay focused, stay strong… Suffering, Submission, Serving out goodness not bitterness that benefits others and ultimately honors God in your suffering, according to His Will!
Why “Continue to do good?” Because it His revealed will. Ultimately you do it for Him as this is what His desire and revealed will for you is! The verses teaches it is to be so! You don’t have to guess if it is, as it is revealed in this verse! “Continuing to do good, ” is an act of love amidst suffering. Suffering according to His will, …cannot hinder you from exercising love. And one way you do so is by choosing to obey His Word, – {Read John 14:21} and includes “continuing to do good!” Continuing to do that which is right!
It is in the midst of suffering that as you continue to do what is right and good, beneficial, that you reveal you are trusting Him!
When you were born again, and submitted your life to Jesus Christ as Lord to rule over you and Savior to Deliver you from self rule as Master and from satan’s domain and the penalty of sin. You were Created ANEW IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, IN YOUR STANDING BEFORE HIM, AND PART OF THIS, Paul wrote “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” -{ Eph 2:10}. Created for good works that we should walk in them . We are to be doing good, because He created us to do so. Not to gain his favor, for in Christ we could never be more favored than we are now or will ever be. For our favor is because of Him, not us. His Work, His sacrifice we are “accepted in the BELOVED”-{Eph 1:6}. All whom you meet are candidates of you “doing good” towards them!
HOW ARE WE TO DO GOOD? “Let all that you DO be DONE in Love”-{1 Cor 16:14}. Do good, do it in Love, do it for the GLORY OF GOD. “Whatever you DO, DO For the Glory of God.”-{1 Cor 10:31}. Do Good, Do it in Love, Do it for God’s Glory and keep repeating. And suffering according to the will of God, does not put a stop to you continuing, but is another means by which you can continue doing good !!
Be encouraged, meditate and memorize His Perspective and practice This verse and SHARE with someone else to encourage them… That can be part of you DOING GOOD.
Suffering according to His will is not a case of God abandoning you, though you may be tempted by the evil one to wrongly think so,”feel’ so, and even told by others it is so, “But God,” reveals otherwise in this verse. It is a call to commune with Him and be a blessing for others.
Suffering is not meant to make us bitter but a blessing in the lives of others by “continuing to do Good!”
There is a fellowship of the Suffering in the Furnace of Affliction that Paul and Peter and countless others knew. You are not alone! {Read Phil 3:8,10; 1 Peter 4:19}- SUFFERING- SUBMISSION- COMMISSIONED!
In your Suffering, Keep entrusting yourself to Him by faith and keep doing what is right and good! 🙂