1 Peter 4:17-19

v17-18: “The usual way of providence has been” that “when God brings great calamities and harsh judgments on whole nations, he generally begins with his own people.” This suffering they experience in this life is the worst that will happen to them. But for those who are unbelieving, far worse is still to come. “The painful suffering of [righteous] people in this world is a sad sign of much harsher judgments coming on unrepentant sinners.”

v19: When we suffer, God’s Word encourages us to commit our souls to God, because He is our Creator, and because He has “out of sheer grace made many kind promises of eternal salvation” to us and “He remains faithful to all His promises.” We commit our souls to God, by “prayer, and patient perseverance in doing good.”