Why Sufferings?

Beloved God’s children in Christ,

Beloved God’s children, you are special in God’s eyes who are passing through sufferings and tribulations. These days many pastors teach about Christian life without suffering. It is completely wrong. Through the furnace of suffering only we can enter into heaven. Apostle Peter gives advice to us saying, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude” (1 Peter 4 :1).

Christ has suffered to unite us with God.

1. To inherit (1 Peter 1:5,6)
   We need to suffer various trials in order to inherit the blessing which is kept in heaven (1 Peter 1:5,6). Being a member of the body of Christ, it is necessary for us to partake in His sufferings. To put it straight, God’s kingdom belongs to people who are suffering for righteousness (Mat 5:10). Who are all suffering for righteousness will have abundant reward in heaven. Without suffering, pain, labour and sacrifice, we can’t mature, save souls or to reach heaven. So we should not weary and back slide by looking into the sufferings.
2. To test faith (1 Peter 1:7)
   Everyone who overcomes the trials of faith will receive praise, honour and glory while Jesus Christ comes back. It’s not pleasing to God to back slide from faith or to deny. Most holy faith must be preserved. If we want to grow in faith, it has to be tested and refined. In your life when the sufferings, pains and trials increase your faith is being tested and strengthened and growing. Abraham’s faith was tested. Since he overcome that test he is called “Father of faith”. We also should submit ourselves to trials of faith.
3. To endure (1 Peter 2:19)
   God is pleasing when we endure the sufferings which were unjustly caused. Enduring the sufferings shows the maturity of faith. We must come out of the habits of getting angry, scolding and cursing while facing suffering. When Jesus suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:23). Even Stephen was suffering, he didn’t sin. He said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”.(Acts 7:60)
4. To follow (1 Peter 2:20,21)
   We are called to do good and suffer. Christ also suffered for us and left His footprints for us to follow Him. In our life when moments come, to choose between worldly pleasures or sufferings, we must choose to suffer for God. When such a moment came in the life of Moses, he refused to be called as a son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to suffer with God’s people (Heb 11:24,25). When God chose Apostle Paul, God said “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16). He also was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Paul had a vision towards his sufferings. Sufferings make us perfect.
5. To live Holy (1 Peter 4:2)
   We see, “they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God”. Suffering leads us towards holy life. When we suffer, we must suffer for righteousness (1 Peter 3:14). Also we must suffer according to the will of God (1 Peter 3:14). We must suffer by doing good (1 Peter 3:17). Even Though Joseph was blameless in the house of Potiphar, it happened to him to go to prison. Since he kept his purity and holiness there, God’s name was glorified.
6. To rejoice in heaven (1 Peter 4:13)
   We must live remembering, when we suffer for God we become partakers with Him. In the letter to Romans we see“if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” – (Romans 8:17,18). While we suffer, we must rejoice that we become partakers of Christ’s sufferings. In the days of the Apostles they were “”rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5 : 41). This must be our every day’s experience.
7. To be Blessed (1 Peter 4:14)
   We are blessed if we are disgraced for the name of Christ. Because the glorious spirit of God is upon you. Disgraced by them and glorified by you. If anyone suffered for being a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorify God. If we need abundant blessing in heaven we should not murmur when we go through sufferings but should endure patiently. Jesus said, Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven(Mat 5:11,12).

Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. So let us who suffer for a little while, submit in His mighty hands, for Him to make us perfect, establish, strengthen, and to take us to Glory.