Preparing for Suffering
I remember when I was growing up hearing more than one preacher at revivals say something like, “God has cast his vote. Satan has cast his. What’s your vote going to be?” Although I was also told God was in control of all things, this question left the impression that I was really in control and God should be happy that I chose to be on his team. If I had faced some major suffering during this time, I don’t think I would have handled it well.
In 1993, God brought us to a church where we regularly heard some very different things - things like Jesus’ words, “You did not choose me, I chose you,” (Jn 15:16) and terms like predestination, election, God’s sovereignty and providence. God opened my eyes to understand passages like Psalm 139 where God states that he ordained our days even before there was one of them and to a new understanding of Romans 8:28, that God was working all things for good— not necessarily that life would always be easy and pleasant, but that he would work all things to conform me to the image of His Son. I had a new awe and love for a God who loved me, who wanted the best for me and who would never leave me, nor forsake me. God was preparing me for suffering.
In March of 1998, my father was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. In just three short months, this previously hard working, healthy man wasted and suffered until God took him home to be with him. It was a difficult time and I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through this experience had God not been preparing me for this situation.
Today I would like to share with you three observations of suffering from chapter four of Peter’s first epistle. These are:
1) The purposes of suffering
2) The predictability of suffering, and therefore,
3) The need to prepare for suffering
Along the way, we’ll look at many other passages and I’ll share some of the ways God has comforted me through suffering, but for now, let’s turn to 1 Peter 4:12-19:
12Beloved, do not
be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though
something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice
insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad
when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for
the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[b] and of God rests upon you. 15But
let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17For it
is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with
us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And
"If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[c]
19Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
A good starting point for this topic of suffering is to try to define what suffering is. Webster defines suffering as, “to be forced to endure; to feel keenly or labor under; to endure death, pain or distress.” In this passage, Peter uses the words trial and suffer, or suffering. Is there a difference? How are they related? What about similar terms in Scripture such as tribulation(s) or affliction? The word translated trial (dokime) in v. 12 especially combined with the adjective fiery (purosis) implies a testing, approving or refining such as purifying metal (See 1 Peter 1:7). The word translated suffer (pathema) can also be translated affliction so they are very similar, with affliction being used more commonly in the Old Testament. Tribulation (thlipsis) is translated from a word meaning to crush, press or squeeze.
Although suffering can be a result of our own sin, which I’ll address later, mostly these terms imply something outside us bringing the suffering. This could be a physical illness, financial difficulty, or strained relationship; but, this specific passage is addressing suffering for the name of Christ. Although persecution, especially the insulting mentioned in v 14, is becoming more common for Christians in America, we recognize that we do not experience the degree of suffering that many of our brothers and sisters have experienced in other countries or other times in history.
So today, the suffering I will focus on will be more generalized to the trials that we face in this fallen world. One word of caution for us is to not judge others in regards to the trials they are facing. If we are honest, we sometimes do this. What may not be a trial for you can be a huge trial for someone else. And something you suffer with may not faze another. God gives these trials to test and prove our faith. Notice Peter qualifies the trial as fiery. Just as various metals must be heated to different temperatures to purify the dross, God uses different trials in different lives for the purpose of purifying that person.
The Purposes of Suffering
As we examine what Scripture has to say about suffering, I hope you will see at least five purposes in suffering: contrition and confession; completion or conformation to the image Christ; fulfilling the great commission; comforting others; and commending and glorifying God. Before we look at those purposes, I want to acknowledge that a common question people ask is, “If there is a loving God, why is there suffering?” To answer this question thoroughly would take several sermons and numerous books have been written on the topic. Today, I want to briefly touch on the relationship of suffering and sin, and then turn to why God allows suffering in our lives. When God created the world it was “very good.” (Gen 1:31) There was no death, disease or suffering. Shortly thereafter, Adam and Eve sinned. Ever since that original sin, creation has been cursed and “groans” from the redemption of our bodies. (Rom 8:19-23) So suffering, in general, occurs as a result of the curse when Adam rebelled against God.
Scripture also tells us that sometimes people can suffer as a direct consequence of their personal sin. Look at 1 Peter 4:15,
But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
The first purpose in suffering that we will examine today is that sometimes God allows us to suffer for our personal sin to bring us to a point of contrition and confession. Listen to the words of David in Psalm 32:
1Blessed is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no
iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3For when I kept
silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer.
Selah
5I acknowledged my
sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Selah
And Job 36:15 says, “He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by
adversity.” Perhaps C.S. Lewis had this verse in mind when he said, “God…shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (The Problem of Pain, p83) There may not be a direct correlation to our personal sin in some trial or suffering we are undergoing. However, a question we should ask is, “Is there some sin in my life for which I need to repent?” If there is, do as David did; repent, confess and receive the blessing of forgiveness.
Most of the time when we see others suffering or we, ourselves, suffer we find it difficult to understand and wonder, “What purpose could God have in this suffering?” A second purpose God has in suffering is that we would be made complete and be conformed to the image of Christ. God uses suffering in the sanctification process. In the greeting of 1 Peter, we see he is writing to the elect exiles that have been dispersed because of persecution. In verse 2 we are told that this is according to God’s foreknowledge for the purpose of sanctification and obedience to Jesus Christ. Back in chapter 4, verse 12, we read:
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
I have already mentioned that Peter tells us trials come to test us. The apostle James elaborates in chapter 1, verses 2-4:
2Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
The apostle Paul puts it this way in Romans 5:
1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand, and we[c] rejoice[d] in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
So from God we receive grace, are justified, made at peace with Him and we rejoice and hope in His glory. But both Peter and Paul tell us that along with these things come sufferings and trials. And God’s purposes in these testings/trials/sufferings are that we might endure, be steadfast and people of character that put our hope in God. Pastor Wilson showed us last week how God used Hezekiah’s illness to teach him about diligence, obedience and calling so that Hezekiah was able to say in Isaiah 38:17, “Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness.”
Do you believe God is really sovereignly working all things, including suffering, for your good--that you might be conformed to the image of his Son? (Rom 8:28-29) If you do, when you are in the midst of a trial or suffering, keep your eyes heavenward and hope in the resurrection, pray for perseverance and steadfastness, pray for the spiritual fruit of joy in the midst of the suffering, and remember that God is using this circumstance to make you perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
As we are conformed to the image of Christ, we can testify of Him in our sufferings and help fulfill the great commission. This is another of God’s purposes in our sufferings - that we would help fulfill the great commission by witnessing to others. In chapter 3:14-17 of 1 Peter, listen to what Peter tells us:
14But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
If we suffer well, ignoring the advice of Job’s wife and the world to - “curse God and die”; but instead we follow Job’s example - to receive good and evil from God (Job 2:9-10), the world will notice the difference. This often opens the door to give a reason for the hope that we have to a person and a world who does not have that hope. I have had several opportunities to share the hope that my Dad had and that I have in the midst of suffering. This has been especially effective with patients suffering with cancer or other terminal illnesses, on which I will elaborate in the next point. By God’s grace I have even had the privilege of leading a couple of people to a saving knowledge of Christ. Is there some suffering you are experiencing or have experienced that could be used as an opportunity to share the hope that you have in Christ?
A fourth purpose in suffering is taught to us by the apostle Paul - that we might comfort others. Suffering can provide us an opportunity to comfort others? How can this be? In 1 Corinthians 12:26 Paul tells us:
26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
This is not just, “misery loves company” as he further explains in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7:
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
I am thankful to Paul David Tripp (Chapter 8, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands) for a deeper understanding of this passage. God uses suffering to drive us to Him for our comfort and hope. Knowing that God is lovingly holding us in his hands and working afflictions for our good and His glory should give us peace. As we experience this comfort from God, we in turn can comfort and minister to those who are going through a similar experience in a powerful way. We can point them to their faithful Creator and the hope that they can have in Him. A hope that God is lovingly using this suffering to conform us to the image of His Son and a hope of spending eternity with Him in a place where there is no more suffering.
So who better to comfort someone with a debilitating illness than one who has a debilitating illness? Who better to comfort one who is imprisoned for their faith, than someone else who has been imprisoned? In my own experience with the death of my father, I have had opportunity to speak words of grace, comfort, encouragement and the hope I found in Christ to friends who have lost their parents. Is their a situation in which you are suffering? Don’t forsake gathering together, as some are in the habit of doing; but seek out fellowship, comfort and encouragement from the body of Christ (Heb 10:24-25). Do you know someone who is suffering? Don’t ignore them, ask God to show you how you could use the comfort that he has shown you in your own afflictions to comfort them and give them hope in Christ.
A fifth purpose in suffering is to bring commendation or glory to God. Back in 1 Peter 4, look at verses 13, 14 & 16:
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[b] and of God rests upon you. 16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
And Peter adds in chapter 2:12:
12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Jesus said, “…let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16)
In verses 19 & 20 of chapter 2, Peter tells us it is a gracious thing when one endures suffering for doing good. When we are laughed at or ridiculed for our belief in Christ and we do not revile in return, if we are physically harmed but do not threaten in return, if we entrust ourselves to a faithful Creator who judges justly, we follow the example of Christ, share in his sufferings and bring glory to God. (1 Pet 2:21-23, 4:19) We also glorify God through our repentance, sanctification, comforting and witnessing in response to our sufferings.
So to summarize thus far, we see that God has at least five purposes for suffering in our lives:
1) To bring us to a point of contrition and confession
2) To complete or sanctify us
3) To witness and help fulfill the great commission
4) To comfort others, and
5) To commend and glorify Him
The Predictability of Suffering
Now that we have a better understanding of God’s purposes in suffering, let’s look at another observation on suffering from our text and that is the predictability of suffering. 1 Peter 4:12:
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Notice Peter tells us not to be surprised at trials as though something strange was happening. And in verse 17, Peters says that it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. These points imply that suffering in a believer’s life is normal and present reality. Remember Peter is writing to the elect exiles of the dispersion. Due to persecution of the Jewish Christians, they were scattered to such places as Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. In chapter 2:21 Peter is so bold as to say that we have even been called to suffer. Can this be true? This is quite contrary to much of the modern health and prosperity teaching that is so prevalent in the church. Was Peter deluded? When you become a Christian, aren’t all your problems supposed to go away? Let’s see if other authors of Scripture agree with Peter.
Paul tells us that we are to share in suffering for the gospel (2 Tim 1:8); that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12); and that we have been granted not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake (Phil 1:29). These kinds of sayings would not earn high ratings as a tele-evangelist today.
The writer of Hebrews tells of faithful Old Testament saints who were tortured, mocked, flogged, chained and imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, and killed with the sword. They were destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. (Heb 11:36-38). And James commends the examples of Job and the prophets as ones who suffered patiently. (James 5:10-11)
And if that is not enough evidence that suffering will be predictable in our lives, listen to the words of the Lord Jesus:
…In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33)
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Lk 9:23-4)
Jesus’ own words tell us we will have tribulation and we are to take up our cross daily. Christ certainly suffered more than any person on the cross. Is it too much for us to suffer as well?
By this I don’t mean that we should purposefully create suffering such as that mentioned in v 15 or that we should go looking for suffering. We should also not be anxious, pessimistic or doubt God’s goodness. God is not some cosmic sadist just waiting to “drop the shoe” on us. But, it should not be strange when we experience suffering. Suffering is a normal part of the Christian life. Knowing that suffering is predictable for the believer and that God purposefully uses suffering in our lives for His glory and for our good; we should not be surprised by suffering, but we should prepare for it.
Preparing for Suffering
I see that there are at least three ways we should prepare for suffering: we should study and saturate ourselves in God’s word; seek fellowship with other believers; and pray and bring our supplications to God.
The first way to prepare for suffering is to study and saturate ourselves in God’s word. Our natural tendency is to be conformed to the pattern of this world and the passions of our former ignorance (Rom 12:2, 1 Pet 1:14). To prepare for suffering, we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that by testing we may discern what the will of God is. By so doing, we will learn that suffering is predictable in a believer’s life and that God is using it purposefully in our lives. We can hide God’s word in our hearts, so we will be less likely to sin against him in suffering (Ps 119:11, 1 Cor 10:13). In God’s word we find passages such as Psalm 139 and Romans 8:28-29 which speak to God’s sovereign control of our lives, even in suffering. We can also do as Jeremiah did when he was afflicted and call to mind God’s character and the words he spoke inspired by the Holy Spirit in Lamentations 3:22-24:
22The steadfast
love of the LORD never ceases;[b]
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
Also remember that suffering can drive us back to the Word. The psalmist in 119:71 says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”
By studying and saturating ourselves in the Word, we also see the standards or examples set for us by countless saints and our Lord Jesus Christ. Studying their lives and seeing how they responded to suffering can give us insight into how we should respond to suffering. We have already seen today how Jesus did not revile or harm when he suffered but entrusted himself to the Father who judges justly (1 Pet 2:22). Peter urges us to do the same in chapter 4:19. “Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
We see examples of rejoicing in the midst of beatings and sufferings as Peter and the apostles savored the fact that they “were counted worthy to suffer dishonor” for Jesus’ name. (Ac 5:40-41) And Paul and Silas sang praises to God as they were imprisoned (Ac 16:25)
In God’s word we learn to set our mind on the eternal. As Pastor Wilson reminded us last week through the words of Hezekiah (Is 38:14) our only hope is to look up. Peter tells us in 1 Peter chapter 1:13 to prepare our minds for action, setting our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus. Keeping our mind on the eternal and realizing that our sufferings are temporal helps us to remain steadfast in the faith and to persevere through suffering. From passages like 1 Peter 4:17-18 and Revelation 2:10, we can understand that suffering is always limited and temporal for the believer.
This leads to the second way to prepare for suffering, which is seeking fellowship with other believers. At times it seem as though we will be unable to bear through our suffering. We are tempted to despair and give up. But with others helping bear our burdens (Gal 6:2) and remembering Peter’s words in chapter 5:9—knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by our brotherhood throughout the world—we can stand firm in our faith, resist the devil, and keep from sinning in the midst of our circumstances. Remember, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor 10:13)
Hebrews 2:10-12 says,
“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,
‘I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’”
In this passage we see that at the core of our brotherhood with Christ and other people is suffering. (Tripp, p 147) By seeking fellowship, we can benefit from God’s redemptive purposes within the church. In community we receive Biblical truth, teaching and encouragement making it less likely that we will stray from Scripture with unbiblical thinking and attitudes. In true biblical community we can be open and honest about struggles and we benefit from stories of hope as others share the way they have been comforted by God in their trials and sufferings. (2 Cor 1:3-7)
A third way of preparing for suffering is praying and bringing our supplications to our faithful Creator. As we develop the discipline of praying, we arm ourselves for battle with the enemy when we are suffering and we can help our brothers who are suffering by interceding for them. (Eph 6:18) The Psalms are full of model prayers in suffering. Psalm 102 is specifically introduced as a prayer of one afflicted. In this Psalm the author cries out to God relating his sufferings, but returns to God’s sovereignty, greatness and faithfulness and reminds himself that the Lord “regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer” (v 17)and that “the children of your servants shall dwell secure.” (v 28) Sometimes when we pray for our sufferings to be removed, God will give us a “No” answer as he did to Paul. But we can always be assured that God’s grace is sufficient for us and that his power is perfected in our weaknesses. (2 Cor 12:7-9) We should also remember the example of our Lord Jesus when He asked for his sufferings to pass from Him, he said, “not as I will, but as you will” and “your will be done.” (Mt 26:39, 42) He knew he could entrust himself to the will of the Father (1 Peter 2:23) and Peter tells us in verse 4:19 that we can as well.
So to summarize, steps we can take to prepare for suffering include:
1) To study and saturate ourselves in God’s word which allows us to:
a. rejoice, sing praises and savor the fact that we are worthy servants
b. set our minds on the eternal and hope in the resurrection
c. remain steadfast during our trials and sufferings
2) To seek fellowship with a community of believers, and
3) To pray for others and present our supplications to God and accept his will
Are you currently going through a time a suffering? Do not think that it is something strange. Remind yourself of God’s purposes, rest in His sovereignty, and rely on His grace to help you endure the suffering. By God’s grace and resting in His sovereignty I was able to endure the suffering of my Dad’s cancer and death and I can see a good purpose in my life. Similar to Hezekiah’s illness that we studied last week, God used my Dad’s death at a young age to show me that I was going to die and that I needed to get my house in order. I’m not there yet, but I do feel an urgency to make the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:16) to serve him, my family and others.
Maybe you are going through a time of relative ease with little suffering. Praise God for his goodness, but also prepare yourself through study, fellowship and prayer. If you are truly in Christ, it is predictable that you will suffer. But, take heart, our sufferings are only in this world and we have the blessed hope of spending eternity with Christ where there is no more death, crying or pain, for the former things will pass away. (Rev 21:4) “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11)