Thurs., 5/17/12 Devotion (1 Pet. 4:19)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Peter 4:19, where we read these words:

"Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."

Suffering is never fun; but it is good for the saints. It has a cleansing effect on our souls; and it draws us back to Christ. If we are going to suffer, let us do so for doing good, or for insisting on God's ways. Committing our souls to God means that we do what is right, and leave the consequences and results with the Lord.

It is interesting that Peter refers to God as a faithful "Creator," at the end of this verse--rather than a Redeemer. God's creation covers everything in the universe: those things that positively affect our obe-dience, and those things that "negatively" affect it.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Satan tempts to sin under a pretense of re-ligion. He is most to be feared when he transforms himself into an angel of light." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]