October 7 | 1 Peter 2:18-20
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Endurance in Suffering
By Katie Borden
Buckle up—these three verses are a lot to chew on.
::Deep breath::
OK.
Putting ourselves under God’s authority as we read his word can mean that sometimes we really struggle with a passage of scripture. And if you struggled with the instruction in this text—if you are trying to navigate the dissonance that comes from reading words telling sufferers to “endure it” (v.20) in the same Bible where Jesus proclaimed “freedom for the prisoners” (Luke 4:18), you’re not alone. This passage has been wrongly used to justify sending people back into abusive situations. And that teaching—which is antithetical to the character of the God who rescues and restores people to wholeness—grieves me deeply, and I believe our Lord Jesus weeps at this abuse of scripture.
So, what is this passage saying, then?
Before we answer that question, we may need to change the metaphorical lenses through which we are reading this passage. We need to trade in our twenty-first century spectacles for a pair of first-century ones. In the first century world, slavery looked different from what we in the USA often imagine. There was no path to freedom, no Underground Railroad—there was absolutely no way out. These people were exiles and utterly trapped.
The kind of instruction Peter is giving is the kind one would give to those who are fully stuck in a system that sought to devalue them. So how are God’s people to conduct themselves when they are oppressed and trapped in suffering?
With the character of Jesus.
When we have no control over the circumstances around us, God calls us to continue in the way of love, mercy, and steadfast endurance. In some way, this refusal to bow down to the idol of retribution or bitterness is itself an act of resistance against the powers that seek to pin down the people of God.
It doesn’t mean that we seek out suffering, but it does mean that when we find ourselves trapped in it—when we are powerless to do anything else—we respond with the power we do have: we respond with the power of grace and love that God himself has shown us.
And all the while, our God in Jesus Christ does not leave us alone in our suffering. The Suffering Savior companions us. His death and resurrection promise that the power of God will win the day, and that one day we will be at peace with him in his glorious, just, whole, new creation. Hasten that day, Lord. Amen.
PRAYER
God, we ask for the grace to endure well when suffering comes our way; for the courage to upend injustice and oppression when it is within our power; and for the faith to trust that in the end, your justice and peace will surely reign forever and ever. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KATIE BORDEN
I’m a lifelong member of UALC and have had the privilege of serving our community in both volunteer and staff roles over the years. I love learning, OSU football, good conversations, chocolate croissants, laughter, and sharing about the good news of Jesus in whatever capacity I can.
Oppression and injustice is not the way of the Lord. Obedience to His Will to glorify Him who is Sovereign over all. Thank you Katie.
Amen! Thank you, Katie. Beautiful devotional on a difficult passage. Exactly what I needed today. I will return again and again to read.