Loneliness has an ugly feel about it. It is different from being 'alone', which means that nobody else is there (except God) because you can be lonely in a crowd.  But the sense of isolation, believing that nobody cares, smells of rejection and the desolation that can be so disturbing.  For scattered refugees, as some of Peter's Christian readers were, it is excellent news that God had not abandoned them to an uncertain fate. Rather they had been formed into a growing network of people who were God's very own 'business partners' in the gospel.

How do we know if we are submitting to God?  We can easily fool ourselves into holy thinking without practising holy living.  'Submission' does not find many supporters among mobile and successful adults.  But it is God's way to teach us that we are not God, we do not know everything, and we are not almighty. If married couples will not submit to each other, there is war at home. If students do not submit to teachers, there is anarchy in the campus; and if people refuse to submit to their community leaders and national governments, there is civil war.
 

Persecuted, oppressed, abused or alienated people tend to be ruled by anxiety. They may spend their lives watching over their shoulder, anticipating the next insult or attack. Although this is a natural reaction, Peter urges Christians to cast off the shackles of fear and live by faith in the God who has called them (Galatians 2:20) - because He will only allow what is in His will.  Instead of being bound by the terror of possible harm or even death, Peter instructs believers in Jesus to live as free people who have been released from slavery to fear (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Slavery has been abolished in many parts of the world ... officially.  But hard and harsh employments persist, sometimes in the most surprising places.  The smiling management face may hide a mean heart, or years of traditional worker-abuse might have become accepted as normality. There is nothing new in this, and although we hope that generous and friendly employers predominate, nevertheless, it is a tough life at work for some. So, Peter addresses an important question, ‘How should a believer respond to being harshly treated at work?’