Nougat 2

Holding on is not always easy until we realize others have survived their season of sifting. Today’s Holy Nougat offers such encouragement.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So Peter testifies from the perspective of one who has been sifted. He’s faced and overcome sifting as one who fell away (ie he denied knowledge of Jesus); and as one persecuted.

He was restored and given the mandate to feed God’s sheep (John 21). We see in Acts 1-2, that it was Peter who was the primary leader of the disciples (later known as ‘apostles’), and from his words, there’s no doubt that he had been strengthened as indicated above.

Moreover, it confirms Jesus’ promise as we read in yesterday’s nougat. For even our nougat today demonstrates that Peter did ‘strengthen’ the others after his season of sifting.

Interestingly, Peter proposes that when we overcome, we are strengthened AND our Faith becomes unshakable. Now this could lead us to conclude that as painful, stressful and unwelcome our seasons of sifting are, these seasons actually exist to strengthen our Faith.

Do we then embrace sin simply on the premise that it will strengthen our Faith? Er no. We always wish to choose Christ. I believe that Judas willfully Chose to Embrace Sin, hence his loss of Faith. We have the opportunity to Choose Christ, to remain focused even when we can’t see or feel Jesus with us in our seasons. And, if/when we do sin, let’s repent and overcome.

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May all we seek be found in Christ