A Word On Suffering

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:19 ESV)

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. (1 Peter 5:10 ESV)

One of the issues of life that none of us will be able to escape from is suffering.  It is a fact that every person who is moving forward and growing in Christ will deal with some type of suffering in their life.  People suffer in many ways and in many degrees.  It might be sickness, emotional, financial, relational, etc - or even as many around the world - persecution.  Over the years I have personally cried out to The Lord and have asked "why" certain things take place and "why" some people have undergone so much suffering only to find Him at times very silent.  But He does speak to us through His Word.  God makes it very clear that we must all suffer and that suffering causes us to grow deeper in Him in all aspects.  The Book of 1 Peter was written to a church that was suffering persecution in many harsh and brutal ways.  They were seeing their friends martyred for their faith and others being persecuted. They were having to make a stand for their faith as to whether they really believed in God or not.  Look at 1 Peter 4:19 again - that... they had to learn to "entrust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good."  It is trusting in what you don't see or feel.  It is trusting that God sees the bigger picture.  It is trusting that no matter what happens - God would bring glory out of whatever you are going through.  I also love what 1 Peter 5:10 says, "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."  Think about that.  Someday, God will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.  You can count on that.  No matter what you are going through today - God is with you and will not leave you - ever.  Ultimately, you might not see it now, but God is using what you are going through to make you stronger in Him and He is establishing you in maturity and character.