“So then, those who suffer…should commit themselves to their faithful Creator…”

This is one text that shows exactly why we focus on these names of God.  The topic is suffering, in both near and far contexts.  The near context — the verse itself (1 Peter 4:19) — mentions suffering.  The far context — the whole book of 1 Peter — encompasses suffering.  So why, when talking about the suffering believers must go through, does the Spirit guide Peter to call God “their faithful Creator”?  Why not “merciful,” “compassionate” or something more expected?

First, let’s touch on this matter of suffering.  The Church in the West really doesn’t have a clue as to what real suffering is.  Oh, sure, we complain about pressure at work and stress at home.  Bills need paying and kids need our attention and time that we don’t have.  Our bodies are slowing down, our parents are aging and getting frail, our company is downsizing, the market is unpredictable and taxes are always going up.  When will it ever end?  Well, we know when it will end, but that’s not really the question.  It should be how will it end?  And by how, I’m not referring to our understanding of how end-time events will play out.  I’m referring to how we will respond to the pressure.  That’s where suffering comes in.

It really is amazing to notice how many places list Paul’s suffering and affliction.  Check these out when you get time: 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, 15:30-32; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, 4:8-12, 6:4-5, 8-10, 11:23-29 and Philippians 3:7-8.  Six of the seven are found written to the Corinthians.  Why is that?  Because the Corinthians thought of themselves as a breed apart.  They were full, rich and reigning as kings (1 Cor. 4:8), or so they thought.  Paul clearly infers that they weren’t when he says, “How I wish that you really had become kings…”  The Corinthians were no better than the Laodiceans who were likewise full, rich and wealthy (Rev. 3:17), but spiritually were “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”  Such is the “deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19).  History repeatedly shows that spiritual influence never coincided with material affluence.

People living in a culture that focuses on wealth, power and pleasure is an environment for people to serve themselves, not others.  They’re consumed with making sure they have safety nets like retirement accounts and insurance plans to cover everything from cars to health to homes.  Indisputable rules of this culture read like a common sense cookbook: get your teeth cleaned at least once a year, your air conditioner filters every 6 months, live in the suburbs, stay away from dark downtown streets, lock your car doors and change your oil every 3,000 miles, pay your insurance premiums on time, drink purified water and take your nutritional supplements.  Of course, none of these is inherently wrong in and of itself.  All of these things are meant to reduce your suffering, which reflects more of the thinking of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus than God’s Word.  God promised something different:  “we [Christians] were destined for [trials]…that we would be persecuted” (1 Th. 3:3-4).  And through suffering we would learn a host of things we couldn’t while floating on our chaise lounge chair in our backyard swimming pool.

So why “faithful Creator” in a passage on suffering?  How does that fit?  It fits perfectly.  Perhaps you’ve seen a very simple but biblical diagram of time.  On paper a horizontal timeline starts high at creation, but at the fall, the line drops vertically straight down, then continues horizontally indicating a world in rebellion and cursed with sin.  At the return of the Lord the line shoots straight up, back to its original height and then becomes horizontal again, indicating the “new heaven and new earth” (Rev. 21:1).  God as the Creator is over it all.  He ran the universe when it was perfect.  Even after the fall he likewise did what was required to administer justice.  But more than that, he seized the initiative to demonstrate his mercy and grace by penetrating that fallen world personally through his Son who lovingly died for fallen mankind.  He then faithfully had his people carry the message to the ends of the earth.  While we still live in that fallen world, our faithful Creator wants to turn our afflictions, pain and suffering into “an eternal glory that far outweighs” all of life’s trials, persecutions, afflictions and tribulations (2 Cor. 4:17) that Paul said were “for your benefit” and  “momentary troubles” compared to eternity.  Faithful Creator?  You bet!

Are you faced with difficulties, struggles, pressures and tribulations that you didn’t expect or want?  God is being your faithful Creator.  Won’t you embrace him and receive your eternal benefit?