The efforts we make show results by God’s workmanship. Peter reminds us that whatever adversity we are experiencing, whatever hardship we are enduring, whatever suffering we undergo, God has not lost sight of the plot. It’s all part of His plan, just as it was for His Son in His mission as Messiah. 

elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit (1 Pet. 1.2)

We can endure suffering much better when we know there is a purpose behind it. We actually make appointments with suffering when we schedule a visit to the dentist for a radical procedure that will involve needles, drilling, and general manhandling of our mouths.

That is what Peter is telling us when he speaks of sanctification of the Spirit. He is reminding us that God is at work in us as His children through the hardships of life to grow us in holiness.

Holiness lies at the heart of sanctification. We are holy and called to be holy. We are distinct from the world that walks to the beat of its own drum and are called by God to live in a manner that reflects our belonging to Him.

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