1 Peter 5:10 May the God of all grace, who called to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

This is a verse of comfort for me.  That after suffering and even during, God offers comfort.  That throughout every circumstance God is sovereign.  That there can be victory in any situation, if I have God. I think I often forget that God is greater than my problems. God is greater than my mistakes and issues. And even through the worst of circumstances He will use to draw me near to Him and to grow me in my relationship with Him.

An issue that I’ve been having in IGNITE is a lot of my friends back home are going through extremely difficult trials and I can’t be there for them. I can’t comfort them and talk to them as long as I’d like and it’s so incredibly frustrating that I can’t just be there. That I’m here in Guatemala and the only thing I can do for them is pray and encourage them when I can (which, honestly is the best thing I can do for them regardless of where I am).  I don’t think I dwell upon the fact that not only am I in His hands, but so are they. That God loves them and is sovereign in their lives and is growing them through this.  

God begins and finishes good works in us. He uses suffering to strengthen our faith and relationships with Him. We can establish a firm foundation of faith in tribulations. He gives peace and comfort and settles us in these circumstances. And that overwhelming peace is a testimony of His love for us and His care.

Application: I will pray for my friends back home with one of my teammates and lift that burden up to Him.