October 23 | 1 Peter 5:10-11

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DAILY READING

1 Peter 5:10-11

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REFLECTION

The Eternal Answer to Earthly Suffering

By Vincent Jerrome

Since the very beginning, as Adam fell from the perfect paradise that was Eden, suffering has plagued all living things down to this very day.

There is not much in this world you can compare to suffering. It is something so deep and universal, that all generations strive to find remedy. Medicines made for sickness, bandages for wounds, or escapes from the mind for the suffering found inside. We all will look to things that ease the pain, or greatly speed up recovery. 

Almost everyone certainly hopes to go through life with as little suffering as possible. Days are filled with loved one's prayers, asking God to take away the earthy pain of those dearest. 

Suffering truly shows the darkest parts of the reality we are bound to. 

This has inspired philosophies and schools of thought that go back farther than we could imagine; all struggling with the extremely harsh and apparent reality of suffering that is all around us.

Even our Lord and Savior cried out in his earthly agony, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!”

The ultimate suffering of Christ was never the end of this story.

Just as he yelled out on the cross, Peter and all the disciples would soon be shouting “HE IS RISEN!” 

This is where the true revelation that is in Christ alone is found. This is the answer to all the questions and prayers of the suffering, from the dawn of the age until the very end.

In the earthly death of Christ, our eternal suffering has forever been put to rest. The ruler of this world has no power over our souls. 

Christ knows all suffering. 

He hears every prayer, and will still every racing and questioning mind. 

God himself came down to this Earth and lived out every single bit of agonizing and suffer filled death, just to be reunited with us for eternity.

This is the most beautiful, mysterious, and true answer to the universal question of suffering.

There is no truth like this. There is no love like this.

The suffering of this world will last until the end, but the grace and love of our Lord will endure far, far past that.

God will lift us up and restore us to our paradise with him once more. 

PRAYER

All power and glory be to the one who made himself lowly and suffered all things for our sake. Give us the power to endure the short suffering we have here, and keep our eyes set on the eternal kingdom of heaven. Where all suffering is put to rest, and our perfect divine union is fully restored.

Amen!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vincent Jerrome

I have grown up at UALC doing everything from baptism, VBS, confirmation, youth group, and work with FESTA. I have loved it all and am proud to be a part of this community. My parents Corey & Jennifer made sure faith was first and foremost in our family, and Cassidy and I plan on raising our son Harvey the same way!