Woita Global Faith Devotional August 2025 via Pastor Lou Sloger
“Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, for so I regard him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.” 1 Peter 5:12
As the apostle Peter closes his first letter, he exhorts the readers to stand firm in the true grace of God. Obviously, for us to be able to “stand firm in it”, we need to know what the “true grace of God” is. In this amazing little epistle, in every one of its five chapters, Peter speaks of trials, distress, pain, and suffering!
The “true grace of God” is woven into the fabric of true Christianity, into the life of faith, via the reality of suffering. We naturally recoil from trials and difficulties. No one wants pain. No one wants to suffer. But Peter’s exhortation to “stand firm in true grace” involves suffering.
So, let’s look at some verses, one or two in every chapter of 1Peter, to help us to understand why “suffering according to the will of God”, and “doing what is right no matter what” is a stand worth taking.
In chapter 1, Peter writes, “… in this you greatly rejoice. Even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Here we are told you are going to suffer. There will be trials of all shapes and sizes. But … it is going to do you good. It will purify your faith, enlarge your faith, strengthen your faith. So that when God is done with us, our faith will result in praise and glory and honor to Jesus.
In chapter 2, Peter states, “You have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps.” Our suffering now is basically the reality of following Jesus. When we follow Him, we will suffer. But the good news is if we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him.
In chapter 3, Peter asks the question, “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled.” Further in chapter 3, in verse 17, Peter goes on to say, “It is better for you if God should will it, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.” Peter calls us blessed if we’re suffering for righteousness, if we are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. It puts us in a wonderfully blessed position.
In chapter 4, he writes, “Don’t be surprised at the fiery ordeals which come upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But, to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with the exultation. For if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
What a blessing it is to know that the Spirit of God rests upon us in our suffering!
So, in 1Peter we read about suffering in chapter one, suffering in chapter two, suffering in chapter three, and suffering in chapter four! The suffering we experience all has to do with purifying us, growing us, and enabling us to have fellowship with Jesus in His sufferings, while we suffer.
And then, the way Peter summarizes this at the end of chapter 5 is just wonderful: “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.”
This, the Apostle tells us, “… this is the true grace of God.”
Peter’s contemporary, the apostle Paul, worded it this way, “For this light, momentary, affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2Corinthians 4:17,18
Let God have His way with you, to fulfill His perfect purpose to conform you to the image of His Son, and be prepared to share joy with him for all of eternity.
This is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
-Pastor Lou Sloger
Pastor Lou’s 1136 Ministry devotionals can be found at www.youtube.com/@1136Min. As in Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”