This past Sunday, I spoke at the 8 am service on 1 Peter 5:10. It was the 1st time I have ever had a message from just one verse!! The message was entitled “After a Little While”. This verse speaks of our sufferings and trials and basically tells us that after we have suffered a while, the Lord will perfect, strengthen, establish, and settle us! Sometimes it seems as if a difficult season will last forever! But we have the Lord’s assurance that as we come through that season, He will do great things in our lives!
During a season of trial, the enemy would like to derail us. Many times as we are fighting a battle on one front, it feels like every area of our lives is coming under attack! During these times, we are tempted to feel overwhelmed and confused! We sometimes look to people for help and can be disappointed if they are unable to fulfill our expectations. There is a wonderful example in Paul’s life of a time where he went through a particular trial and faced it all alone. II Tim. 4:16-17 tells us that NONE stood with him and ALL abandoned him. But the LORD stood with him and STRENGTHENED him and delivered him out of the mouth of the lion.
The strength that is referred to in this verse is not just any strength. It is a MIGHTY, POWERFUL, strength taken from the Greek word “dunamis” which is where we get our word for dynamite!!
We can count on the Lord to strengthen us with mighty, DUNAMIS power to stand and come through any trial! And as we are in that season of difficulty, what should we be doing? 1st of all, we cast our cares on HIM. 2nd, we praise Him!! In Isaiah 60:18, we read, “But you shall call your walls salvation and your gates PRAISE’. In Revelation we read about the 12 gates that are made of solid pearl. Bill Johnson points out that pearls are formed through irritation and conflict. (as a grain of sand gets in the oyster shell, a pearl forms around it for protection) As we offer Him a sacrifice of praise while we are going through difficulty, a GATE of PRAISE is formed for the King to come in and impact our situation!
Pr. Chris and I went through a four year period of EXTREME difficulty!! At the time, I thought we would never get through it! Every area of our lives seemed as if it were under attack!! But that time did end, and the Lord strengthened and settled us in ways that we can recognize and appreciate in hindsight! I’d like to encourage you today if you are in that place. Praise Him in your difficult times, and know that better times are ahead! You can trust Him to perfect, strengthen, establish, and settle you as He promises!
Pr. Miriam