1 Peter 4:16 KJV
[16] “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
Suffering is something we do not like to think about much. It is natural for us to want to live life in comfort and ease. We would like for life to sail smoothly without any interruptions or complications. However, we all know that life is seldom a smooth path. Many storms will come our way, and there will be many valleys to cross between here and the other side of life. Suffering is sometimes our companion as we make our journey through this world.
Peter is not speaking about the sufferings of life itself but about the ones we will face because of our faith in Christ. If we live for Him, we will suffer as He had to in this world. The degrees of suffering as a Christian vary. We should never compare ourselves to each other because some Christians have suffered more than others, but we all suffer in different ways.
The main point about suffering for the cause of Christ is not to lose our focus. We should not be concerned so much with ourselves but with how we react to our suffering. We are to glorify God when we suffer for His cause. The Lord deserves to be the primary focus in every aspect of our lives. I understand this is easy preaching and hard living, but God gives extraordinary grace amid our suffering. We see that throughout the pages of God’s Word. The apostle Paul suffered in his service for Christ. Peter suffered for his faithfulness to the gospel. We can read about it in the lives of these great apostles and down through church history.
The amazing truth about suffering as a Christian is that God always gets the glory. No one who suffers for Him suffers in vain. They are remembered by God and rewarded in eternity for their sacrifice. They are also remembered here on earth. We read stories of those who were martyred for their faith in Christ. We would have never heard their name or known who they were had it not been for the suffering that they went through. Their suffering inspires many to go on and be faithful to God. Their suffering is also a testimony to those who do not know the Savior. They observe that Christians not only live differently, but they die differently. Only God can bring glory out of suffering. Only God can give victory and joy to those who are suffering. If you are suffering for your faith, give God the glory, for He is seen through your suffering!