One thing that a believer forgets while suffering is his or her calling. Satan tries as much as he can to blind our eyes to obscure the spiritual truths and land us in a state of confusion. Like the Israelites in the Old Testament, at times, we perceive that God has called us to die in the wilderness. When in distress, we feel aimlessly beating the air. In his first epistle, Peter reminds us that suffering is part and parcel of the Christian life. He emphasizes that our calling is to a specific purpose that carries rich reward in the age to come.

Called to be Holy (1 Peter 1:14-16)

Before coming to faith, we followed our evil desires because we were ignorant about the requirements of the gospel. At that time, we were not people of God, but now we are. Now, we are born again through the living and enduring word of God. Jesus Christ has redeemed us with His precious blood. So, we are to abstain from fleshly desires that are constantly waging war against our new nature. Because the God who called us is holy, we must be holy in every aspect of our life.

Called to proclaim the excellencies of God (1 Peter 2:9)

God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Now we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own possession. These privileges exclusively belonged to Israel only, but through Jesus Christ, the same honor is now bestowed upon us also. All this is due to His mercy upon us. He has given all these benefits in our life so that we may demonstrate His goodness to others.

Called to endure the pain of unjust suffering (1 Peter 2:20-21)

Jesus Christ suffered unjustly and left us an example to follow. He did nothing wrong. Judicial courts of those times couldn’t prove His crime and, Pilate declared Him to be a righteous person. Jesus always did good to the people but as a response, what he got was the afflictions of the cross. When they insulted Him, He didn’t insult them in return and, when they tortured Him, He didn’t threaten them. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him, who judges justly since His mission on earth was to please His heavenly Father. Therefore, if we endure the pain of unjust suffering, mindful of God’s will or being conscious of God, then that is commendable in the sight of the Lord.

Called to repay evil with blessing (1 Peter 3:9)

We find it hard to keep quiet when provoked by someone. Repaying in the same terms is the norm for us due to the sinful Adamic nature inside us. But, now we have got a new birth and, we have a new way of behaving which is exactly opposite to our old nature. According to the new principles, we inherit blessing when we repay evil with the blessing and, we are blessed when we suffer for doing good. Live by these principles and enjoy God’s favor upon your life.

Called to share in God’s eternal glory through Christ Jesus (1 Peter 5:10)

Glory followed the sufferings of our Lord and the Savior Jesus Christ. In the same way, abiding glory will come after our brief period of hardship. One day our troublesome pilgrimage on this earth will end and, we will leap into the age of boundless glory. Those who suffered faithfully for Christ will reign with Him in never-ending glory. The weight of glory that we would receive will differ from person to person, in proportion to the amount of commitment or loyalty we have shown while suffering. And into this glorious future, He has called all the suffering believers!

May the Lord help us to fulfill our calling even in the middle of the storm. Amen.