1Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed: 2shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily; not for dishonest gain, but willingly; 3not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. 4When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.
5Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.
8Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. 10But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
12Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you. So does Mark, my son. 14Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
I once had a brother-in-law who had all types of physical ailments. He had a permanently dislocated shoulder, and the list went on and on. When I would ask him how he was doing, he would always answer, “I hurt. I hurt most of the time. But, when I am hurting, I know that I am alive.” It seemed like a strange answer, but now that I am growing older and have my own list of woes, I get the pain thing. Paul is writing this chapter to communicate about the pains in his life and to inform how he deals with them.
To summarize, he is saying that no matter what the adversity, the Lord is faithful in seeing him through it. Dear reader, you may also feel “pressed on every side” at times. Yet, Paul tells you that, despite that pressure, you will not be crushed. And in spite of that crushing, you need not despair.
Paul goes a step further in saying that he is pursued and struck down, but he is not forsaken or destroyed. The words “persecuted” and “pursued” both stem from the same Latin word, meaning “follow.” Sometimes it seems like we’re being pursued by persecution. The truth of the matter is that we are. Trouble follows us. Sometimes it is of our own making, but often it is due to outside forces and influences. Peter tells us, 8 Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8 WEB)
When you are knocked down or face adversity, do not despair. When you are perplexed, feeling unsure or confused about your surroundings and your circumstances, don’t fall into a pit of despair. Paul emphasizes that when we overcome difficulties, we are mirroring Jesus’ death and resurrection. That is a strange thought. Paul says, “So that the life of Jesus might be revealed in our bodies.” When a believer goes through difficulties by putting their faith and trust in Jesus, they are a picture of His suffering, death, and resurrection. That may not be much consolation when you’re in the midst of the fire, but hold on! Part of being alive is going through pain and difficulties. Peaceful times without trials are not the norm; they are the exception. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and through His marvelous grace, you will pass through the fire, and you will overcome. Your struggles and suffering have a higher purpose. They will bring you into a deeper and more dependent relationship with Jesus. In 2002, a man named Darrell Evans released a song that embodies this thought. We sing, “I’m trading my sorrows. I’m trading my pain. I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.” Then in the third stanza, Darrell writes,
I am pressed but not crushed - Persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed - I am blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure - That His joy’s gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night - His joy comes in the morning.
Trade your sorrows today, and let the joy of the Lord be your strength. The joy can only be found in the Lord. Just so you know, you can do so because HE IS ABLE.