Suffering and Blessing

1 Peter 2:23 (ESV) When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

1 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

1 Peter 3:14 (ESV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

Why does Peter repeatedly call us to return good for evil?  Simple.  Because you belong to God.

First, you must remember that Christ did not revile because He entrusted the Father to do the judging.  Jesus' mission was not thwarted by those who brought evil upon Him, rather, it was used by God for the redemption of the world. 

Second, there is a blessing in paying back evil with blessing.  God has called us to this.  Why?  Because the world is full of curses, we are the answer and we are to bless.  The world has enough evil. The world has enough retaliation.  The way Christ overcame the enemy was to take His best shot and show that the goodness and love and mercy of God overcome the evils of our world.  You do not have to fear what evil may come as God's child and Christ's follower.  All things work together.

Third, God has set His eyes on you to do you good.  He is doing something beyond what we temporarily see as evil.  The book of Genesis gives great backstory to the whole story.  It begins with harmony, it sifts through 40 or so chapters of evil and disharmony between God and man.  It ends with the story of a brother thrown to the dogs and raised to the right hand side of the sovereign, only to use his position as a peace maker and blessing agent for his one time hate-filled evil brothers.  What they meant for evil, God intended for good, the saving of many lives.

In Joseph, God is showing off.  He is so good, the greatest of evils in the human heart cannot defeat it.  

And so we are repeatedly encouraged by Peter to bear up under evil (if it is what God allows) because it ultimately produces the opportunity for God's goodness to shine, to triumph, to overcome. 

This is faith.  Faith in the greater story of God.  Faith that the God who used wicked brothers, and false accusations in Joseph, chains and prisons in Paul, and crucifixion in Christ will overcome because He is the Sovereign over all.

It can be hard for many of us, but there is nothing better than to be a part of His Story.

PRAYER:

Father, I know I don't suffer.  Hardly ever.  I hope that if/when I do, I will remember these verses.  Thank you for peace.  Thank you for the MANY good things I have experienced.  Give me a heart for those not so blessed.  So that I may be an agent of your blessings to those who are struggling.  In Jesus' Name.