2 Peter 3:16a As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood,

I did not quote the rest of this passage as I do not want this issue to be more difficult than it already is for us. Here Peter admits that Paul has gifts beyond his own. Peter has difficulty understanding everything that Paul writes. Peter who walked with the Lord wasn’t given perfect understanding.

Now here we are 2000 years later and we struggle with certain passages that threaten our peace. I can only offer to you this advice, for what it is worth. Your peace with God, your peace from God, is more precious and valuable than knowledge.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Do you demand perfect understanding from you children or grandchildren before you can love them? No, you just love them, knowing that love doesn’t make those kinds of demands. All we want for those precious little ones is for them to be safe, secure and happy while they can. We know what lays ahead for them, there is no need to burden them with hard truths until they are ready to handle it.

Would God who loves us with perfect love do any less for us?

Cling to His peace like a toddler clinging to your leg. There may be a little insecurity there but more love than doubt. We all struggle with perfect truth. Do not allow your doubt to shake your love for God or each other.

Psalm 63:8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. ESV

Perhaps the last verse of Peter’s epistle holds the best advice there.

Grow in grace.

Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Do we only want to see what we want to see and in doing that fail to see what the Lord is showing us?

Scriptures tell us what to look for in our enlightened vision. Do we understand that or do we only look to our own interests?

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

We want the desires of our hearts and ignore the opening of our eyes in taking delight in the Lord. We treat the Lord like a “Where’s Waldo” picture, hunting all over trying to find his image in a frantic hunt. Not so with God, He tells you where to look and what to look for.

Or do we seek the Lord in the same way we shop for a car. Too costly, too small, wrong color, doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, and with that keep looking until we find exactly what we want.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

The Word is transformative, to make us like Him and not what we would choose to become. We failed in that before we knew the Lord, so why would continue that kind of thinking?