Avoiding and Embracing Suffering

For many Christians the goal of their faith is to avoid suffering. They want to avoid suffering for all eternity in hell as the penalty for their sins. This goal was achieved when Jesus paid the penalty for our sins through His death and resurrection. By trusting in Him as their Savior, Christians will be spared eternal punishment.

They also want to avoid suffering in this life. They expect God’s love to insulate them from health, financial and personal troubles. The Bible makes no promises for a problem-free life - quite the opposite is true. God uses suffering, trials, tests and afflictions for our spiritual growth and maturity.

Christians are subject to suffering for their faith, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). He went on to reassure us, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

In Philippians 1:29 Paul wrote, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” “Granted” in the Greek describes the action of graciously being given a gift or a favor.

The Holy Spirit graciously drew us to Jesus “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44). He then bestowed on us the faith needed to partake of God’s grace and obtain salvation, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The opportunity to suffer for Jesus is likewise described as a gift to us.

Peter goes further, by describing suffering for Jesus as blessing. “to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4:13-14).

Paul affirms this truth in Romans 8:16-18, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Paul taught new believers to expect suffering, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). He also encouraged his coworker in the ministry to “join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God” (1 Timothy 1:8).

May you grow to understand the value and blessing of suffering.