We do not commonly see suffering as an expression of grace; we tend to see it as the contrary. But from the first expression of the gospel in Genesis 3:15, the Lord made it clear that the road back to Paradise travelled through the struggle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Though the country through which the road passed would be difficult, the existence of the road was grace! Further, as God’s people travel the road and experience the suffering of life—including the roar of the devil as he tries to dominate over the Christian—we all in so many ways fail to stand in defiance of the devil, and we sin against the Lord God. Those failures need grace. Peter assures his readers that their God is characterized by grace. That’s hugely comforting and encouraging for those readers.
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.