When Suffering is God’s Will – 1 Peter 4

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed… Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (12-13, 19)

We live in a time when the chief desire of man is to avoid all suffering and discomfort. Many even develop false theologies that God NEVER wants you to suffer and only wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Yet, Peter makes it clear that for the true believer, suffering is often par for the course. The believers in his day were enduring incredible persecution because their belief system conflicted with the Roman culture of personal hedonism and Emperor worship. Some of us today face persecution of various degrees because our beliefs and values are considered counter-cultural. Suffering should not surprise any of us.

Sometimes, it is actually the will of God for His people to suffer. Through our sufferings, we learn what it means to put Him first in this life, and we learn to appreciate the suffering of Jesus for us more deeply. Suffering is like a refiner’s fire that God uses to remove impurities and inconsistencies in our lives, and the result is a stronger faith and deeper love for God and others. When we respond to suffering appropriately, God is glorified, and our lives become a testimony of grace. Don’t be surprised that godliness and suffering go together; we are in a war, and war is never pretty. We face enemies on every side, including the Devil, sin, this world, and our own flesh and selfishness. No one walks through a war zone unscathed, yet the One who walks with us is a faithful Creator, and we can trust Him no matter the suffering He leads us through.