What is the Point of Suffering?

1 Peter 4:12-19

It seems more and more like tragedies and heartache are increasing at exponential rates. However it comes upon us, suffering is horrible. Rarely is anyone ready for it and even less likely are those who are prepared to use it for a benefit of some kind. Yet that seems to be exactly what Peter is asking his readers to do – expect suffering and to see it as an opportunity. That seems to be a pretty big request.

For those of you who have been following along this journey through 1 Peter, there is a very noticeable and significant repeated word and theme that have been littered throughout: Suffering. Peter has discussed it in multiple ways and hasn’t at all shied away from its necessity nor its purpose. Today’s passage alone has 6 references to active suffering! It’s safe to say this: suffering is a way of life for the faithful Christian.

Expect to Experience Suffering

There was a couple at a previous church who I had gotten to know over the years who eventually felt secure and confident enough in their faith to begin moving into ministry. They loved getting more involved but within a few months she was diagnosed with cancer, and they had to face an unbelievably difficult battle. He really stepped into being a caretaker but ended up internalizing what she faced through harsh chemo. It was a multi-year journey to her cancer remission that really wrecked their lives, their family, and even their marriage. Through the whole process, he had been there for her, but after it was over he began to withdraw from her and even from Jesus, sinking into his mancave as he sought to find footing after being so shaken to his core. This was not appreciated by her, who had just gone through such a scary and experienced ordeal. She had begun to feel abandoned and questioned what he was going through, because all he did was watch her suffer – he didn’t feel the pain of face death in it. I believe, from the beginning that their suffering was at least in part a distraction from the enemy to derail their steps towards greater service in Christ. The real tragedy, as I walked through this whole thing with them both was that they were so shocked and surprised by what happened, they felt bum rushed and completely unprepared to face it. They were simply caught unaware. Peter in v12 – do not be surprised when you suffer! You chose to share in Christ’s sufferings when you chose Him. You want to be with Him in His glory, then you must also be with Him in suffering. Look – nobody wants to suffer; I don’t want to. But it is a promised, a taught, and a proven part of every Christian’s life. If you are growing in your faith, 1) God will show you off to the world, and 2) the enemy will try to derail you. Expect that suffering will happen and prepare yourself for it. Are you prepared to suffer for Christ?

See Suffering as an Opportunity

It’s not enough though to just be prepared to suffer, you need to use it for God’s glory. This is why the type of suffering (righteous vs unrighteous) is important. V16 tells us to let God’s name be glorified in our suffering for the sake of our own personal growth as well as the potential for others to see it and be drawn to God through it. It is through us that God chooses to build His church. My father-in-law through his health journey was witness as a suffering servant to the nurses, the physical therapy people (he tried to share about his faith while being interviewed!), and many others, but to me too. I watched him go through each of the grueling healing processes, the surgeries, all of it. With every step, he praised His Savior. Everyone saw and everyone knew his faith was real and deep. He used those blood clots for every ounce of witness he could and the Kingdom grew as a result. He was able to stay faithful through that ordeal because he was prepared for it with a life of discipleship and he saw everything that happened as a gift from God and returned thanks through it all.

Next Steps

Suffering is the way of life for a Christian. In it we imitate and grow to be more like our Savior, and we show the world that being aligned with Christ is worth it no matter what we face in this world.

1. Engage in mentorship – intergenerational ministry is a must to be ready for the trials that will come.
2. Remind yourself regularly of the hope harvest workers have for eternity – to remind us what is waiting for us.
3. Seek to be visible in public as a Christian. Volunteer, get a job, take walks, something. Be in the community in a way that allows your life to be watched even in the hard times.

If you are suffering righteously, know and be confident that God is at work in you and He is being glorified. It’s so difficult, but it’s worth it. This is how He designed the Christian life to be.