1st Peter 5:7. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” HE CARES. It is there with all the symptoms and visible signs The furled brow, sad eyes, the bowed head, the deep sighs The shoulders are slumped, obviously the load is heavy Few words are spoken, sometimes there is not any There is some weighty care – the anxiety is real Something is eating at the heart, the very way we feel There is more here to deal with then one alone is able What to do when to solve it we’re not capable.
The solution is plain when in deep pain or suffering One needs help from one another who knows the abyss you’re in Of all those you know who are friends all around you There really is only One who knows all you are going through Who is able and willing to personally shoulder your burden; And comfort your heart and deal with all you are feeling For He has been there and knows what it is like To not have someone else move to make the burden more light.
The weight of the cross He bare when falsely condemned The sins of all the world were bore solely by Him He knew what it was like to be abandoned by brothers He experienced people He helped, leaving one after another As a man He experienced all you will ever go through And so is wanting to ease the cares that press upon you He is omnipotent with the power to assume your full load As the omnipresent God, He’s able to deal with more than you’ll know.
“Gracious God, the willing burden-bearer of every saint: I come again this morning as one who is fully aware of my inability to meet my own need, Yet, for Thy own reasons, I have this great work to do. I place my fears, doubts and lack of ability upon Thee knowing Thou art able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I might ask or think. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
We need to be alert and self-controlled because the devil (slanderer) is moving about to bring down the testimony of a believer who has focused attention on himself and his troubles. We are to be self-controlled in view of our salvation; self-controlled in view of the nearness of the end and self controlled in view of the power of the enemy. Clear, controlled thinking is the opposite of anxiety that focuses on ourselves. It is important that we de watchful and spiritually alert to the attacks of the devil who knows we are vulnerable when we are persecuted, suffering and feeling alone and helpless. It we are cut off from believers we are in acute danger. How important it is to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ in firm faith. Then we are able to resist the devil even as our Lord did when He was tested by the devil. We are not alone in this because all over the world children of God are going through the same things.
In the midst of all this suffering, the "God of all grace" is there to meet the needs fully. Trials will come for "a while." The devil will attack. Opposition and persecution will happen. The God of all grace knows when to step in and restore and strengthen us. He is able to keep us steadfast. Suffering is not an end it itself because it is passing. When we rest in God, His grace will work on our behalf by His strength. The pilgrim's suffering is temporary with the purpose of maturing, establishing, strengthening and making us steadfast in the faith. Suffering puts a firm foundation of the experiences of living by faith. It is God's grace, glory, power and dominion that brings all this about and hence the doxology from Peter is given to which all who have passed through this can add their own "Amen."