a Little While

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:10-11, NLT, emphasis mine)

Can we define a "little while"? Google searches say that it could be 3 months, but most sources state it is a short or moderate amount of time. If we see this in the Bible, like in this passage from 1 Peter, what does it mean? Who's standard of time are we using, man's or God's?

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV)

Here is another passage that tries to remind the believer that what we endure is not lasting, it will be "a little while" or just a momentary issue. Again, I have to ask the question, is this God's standard of time, or ours?

In order for me to endure and persevere in trials that I feel are lasting far too long to be considered momentary, and feel way too heavy to be considered light, I wonder if maybe the measuring stick is eternity? In light of eternity, this is but a small thing, but in the light of my measurement of time- it is taking way too long.

I desire to gain a greater understanding of God's timing. We see in Genesis, the story of Jospeh, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. Scholars suggest a minimum of 13 years before Joseph was no longer a slave or in prison, but the 2nd in command of Egypt. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 430 years, and then wandered in the desert for 40. David, was anointed king over all Israel, but spent at least 13 years on the run from Saul who was trying to kill him. The Babylonian exile was 70 years. In human standards, these are not short chunks of time. These are lifetimes! Are these still a little while in the scheme of eternity? Yes, they are.

Perspective is everything. It is how we make meaning out of the experiences we go through in our lives. I do not enjoy trials, but I do know that God has promised that they will produce in me something of lasting value. In order to be mature and complete as James 1 tells us, we have to endure. Correct perspective then tells me, whatever I am going through will be worth it, because God is at work in me and through me.

I do not know why God is allowing things to take so long, or why your season of struggle never seems to end either. I wish I had the answers! The only thing I can suggest is if we consider even this, in light of eternity, it too shall pass. Keep going!