For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
1 Peter 2:21-23

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I always assumed that people would give you the same courtesy you give them. I genuinely thought that people would never harbor ill will towards you if you’re kind to them. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and this has not always been my reality. 

In today’s Scripture, Peter is telling persecuted exiled believers how to handle difficult people and difficult situations. He shares with them what he saw Jesus do daily. Peter watched how Jesus responded to the Pharisees, who were always trying to test him or trap him—even kill him. Jesus, most often, chose compassion for people.  In the last hours of Jesus’ time on earth, He was beaten and tortured and even still, He prayed for them, saying, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). No one can compare their sorrows and hardship to Jesus Christ’s, and still He entrusted Himself to Father God, the One who judges justly. 

What does that mean? It means that He left all “paybacks” to God. Every problem that you face physically is a problem that you ought to pray about spiritually. Whether it’s a person or a situation, I urge you to get in the habit of looking upward. 

Ephesians 6:12 says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against evil rulers and authorities of this unseen world.” As followers of Jesus, we must look past the problem or the person and understand that Satan is at work trying to distract, discourage, and destroy you. The enemy’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and he has no intention of stopping. How do we endure that? By prayer. 

In his book If You Will Ask, Oswald Chambers said, “We weren’t called to fight the devil, we were called to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” If every problem you face is the enemy at work, and Jesus said, “I will take revenge” (Romans 12:19), then the only responsibility you and I have in a difficult situation is to pray. 

That last sentence has the potential to make some eyeballs roll, but from a personal, more recent experience, the more I tried to either ignore, fix, or face the problem on my own, the worse it became. I found freedom and rest in surrendering my difficult situation to the Lord through prayer (sometimes moment-by-moment prayers). I have personally watched God fight my battles. That’s not just a comforting phrase or a great song lyric—it’s the truth, and it can be your reality.

Next Steps

Are you in a difficult situation right now? Take the time to write out a prayer telling God about it and asking Him for what you need. He’s listening.