1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
The original readers of this passage were living with real danger. Following Jesus was not just inconvenient or unpopular; it could expose them to suffering, imprisonment, or death. When Peter warned them about the devil prowling like a lion, they may not have thought first about temptation in a private sense. They likely thought about exposure, betrayal, and physical harm. In that light, Peter’s call to humility, shared suffering within the Christian community, and God’s promise to restore and strengthen them makes a lot of sense. This was not abstract theology. It was instruction for survival and faithfulness.
My own suffering is far smaller by comparison, but that does not mean it is meaningless to God. It is easy to treat my own struggles as the center of the story. Peter reminds me that suffering does not make me exceptional, and blessing does not make me entitled. I have far more to be thankful for than I usually acknowledge, and humility keeps that gratitude honest.
What I need to do is stay humble and alert without being afraid. I am not facing threats to my life because of my faith, but I do face dangers of pride, distraction, and drifting away. The enemy often works more subtly now, through self-focus rather than fear. Humility is the safeguard. God is strong enough to protect, restore, and establish me. My role is to trust him, remain watchful, and remember who I am and who he is.