Responses to Suffering
Suffering is something that all humans want to avoid but we cannot. Most people believe that when you become a follower of Christ that suffering will cease. As we continue to go through 1 Peter, it’s quite clear that suffering is an essential part of being a believer. The reason that we go through suffering for being a Christian is that it purifies and tests our faith. It also happens according to God’s will. The passage of focus is 1 Peter 4:12-19 and Peter highlights responses to Christian suffering:
Don’t be surprised by suffering
As believers, we should expect suffering as it is the price of discipleship (Luke 14:26-27). When we say yes to God, we are also saying yes to the suffering that Christ went through. Jesus has prepared us to expect to suffer (John 15:18-19) because we do not belong to the world. We are called to be different from the world as the beliefs that Christ taught are what the world hates. Suffering also tests our faith and determines whether it is genuine. When the world continues to hate on what we stand for, the more that our faith will be tested and it will expose those who genuinely trust in God. The good soil in the parable of the sower is a great example of how to respond to suffering as that condition of the heart understands that suffering is a part of life. It points us to look to God as the source of life and love in the midst of suffering. It is clear that we should not shy away from suffering and persecution but we should expect it and take it on because Christ did it for us. God has called us to be a part of his family and with it comes suffering so let us be prepared for it. Let it be a reminder that we are strangers in this world but are citizens of something greater than this world.
Rejoice in suffering
It’s such a strange concept to rejoice while we go through suffering due to difficulties or being persecuted for Christ, yet Peter encourages us to rejoice because we share in the suffering for Christ (Matthew 5:11). We are reminded that when we suffer, God is with us which means that the burden of suffering will never be on us only but we share it with Christ. When we participate in the sufferings for Christ we are being like Christ which is what we strive to be as followers of Him. We also rejoice because it glorifies God (1 Peter 4:14). When we are able to rejoice in God during difficulties, it means that we are secure in God. We know that he is our source of strength. This action in itself gives glory to God because people may wonder why we have joy during times of difficulty and we can explain the joy of following Christ. God uses adversity to show us what truly matters which is our relationship with Him. God causes all of our trials to work together for our good and this applies for eternity. Lastly, we rejoice because we will receive His award (Matthew 5:12). When Jesus comes for a second time, we will be rewarded for our suffering as His follower (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Let this be our motivation as we suffer knowing that God is there with us and he will give us a joy that is beyond understanding.
Commit ourselves to God
Our final response during trials and tribulations is to commit ourselves to God. When we commit ourselves to God we are ultimately showing that we trust God with our lives and that God will be faithful. We entrust our lives to God because he cares for us. We can say that he cares for us because he sacrificed his only Son so that we could live and have a relationship with Him when it was not possible. Peter encourages us to commit to the Creator because God created us and he knows what is best for us in all seasons of our lives. The suffering that we go through is to grow us and to shape us to be more like Christ.
Father God,
Thank you that you are with us while we suffer. Thank you that you call us to be a part of your Kingdom that is eternal. I pray that we continue to rejoice and to be committed to You while we go through difficulties and trials in life. I pray that we understand that suffering is an essential part of life that you allow to happen so we trust in You more and we grow more in our relationship with You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen