"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."
To completely understand these verses, we must first dissect them and pull out the individual meaning of each part. Just in the beginning of the first sentence, God's grace is shown. Through Christ, God enabled us to share in His glory, meaning we will be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven and live with God for eternity if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Isn't that amazing? Without Christ's sacrifice, we would be unable to find a way into heaven on our own (John 14:6). It is solely by God's grace that we can enter His presence (Ephesians 2:8).
The next part of the sentence is a little trickier to decipher: "After you have suffered a little while, [God] will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." What is this "suffering for a little while"? What about God's grace? Even Christians have suffering in this life. This world is broken and imperfect, and we all sin, whether we are saved or not. That is why God sent Jesus, to give us a chance to find the Father and enter heaven. God desires our hearts and wants to be with us. When He created us, God meant for us to be with Him; we belong in His arms. Therefore, after we have suffered on earth, He will restore us to Him.
Additionally, while we are on earth, God will support and strengthen us; He will place us on a firm foundation: Jesus Christ. Even when we are weak and feel like we cannot stand, God is there with us. He will never leave us.
To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessings, Caitlin
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