Today’s reading:
1 Peter 4:12-19
“Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in doing good, as a faithful creator.” (v. 19)
Human beings throughout the world dislike and try to avoid any form of suffering as much as possible. Some people question God for allowing suffering! To “suffer” means to undergo pain or distress or hardship. It is to experience trouble or unpleasantness. Biblically, suffering is the result of the fall, the consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin against God in the Garden of Eden (Rom. 5:12). Human beings, therefore, suffer because they are living in a broken world. The “free will” God gives and the choices made by man lead him to sin, and he ends up suffering for them. However, suffering may also come outside of or apart from sin. The sources of suffering include: self, others and God. One can suffer from own sins or wrong choices. Also, it can be affiliated by others on a person. Perhaps strangely though, God allows suffering.
This brings us to the issue of purpose of suffering. God’s will and desire for man’s life has reason and purpose, because He is a loving, perfect and eternal God. He does not allow anything to happen to a man without a purpose and an expected end. What is God’s will? It refers to the things He wants; his sovereign control of all things. The ultimate will of God for man is that he should not perish, but come to repentance (salvation) (2 Pet.3:9). Apostle Paul tells us in Rom. 12:2 that we should not conform to this world, so that we may prove the good, acceptable and perfect will of God, as we are transformed. The purposes of God for allowing man to suffer according to his will, therefore, include: wanting him to depend/rely on him; to humble him; to help him be trained; to be corrected; reproved; sharpened and ultimately to develop into a better person; to remind him that this world is not his home; to teach him how to comfort others; to help him identify with Christ’s suffering for humanity; to shift his focus inwards to himself; to open his eyes to undesirable things (sins); and so on. There are many examples in the scripture of those who suffered for the listed purposes, both in the Old and New Testaments. The kinds of suffering they went through included: mental (emotional), bodily, social (humiliation, isolation, abandonment) and even death. Some of the examples are; Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Job, David, almost all the prophets and of course, the Apostles and the first century Christians.
The general outcome of suffering according to God’s will, as opposed to suffering from self-afflicted or other sources of suffering include: maturity in God and things that pertain to Christianity; demonstration of the level and quality of one’s faith; intimacy with God, reflected in our need for him and his concern for one; made stronger; perfection; and so on. No matter how tough one’s suffering according to God’s will may be, the ultimate consolation and reward are found in the scripture. Rom. 8:28 confirms that all things work together for good to those who love God and those called according to his purpose (will). Apostle James says we should count it joy when we fall into various trials (suffering), knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience, letting it have its perfect work, that we may be perfect, complete and lacking nothing (Jam. 1:2-4). Also, in our Today’s reading in v19, Apostle Peter encourages those who suffer according to the will of God, to commit their souls to him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. They are to rejoice as partakers of Christ’s suffering (directly or indirectly), so that when his glory is revealed, they may also be glad with exceeding joy (v13) and also appear with him.
In order not to suffer unnecessarily, it is important to surrender to Jesus and accept him as Lord and Saviour. By this, one becomes a child of God and then his will shall be revealed to you. Subsequently, He will teach you how to suffer according to his will.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud: “Father, I acknowledge my sin against you. I repent and ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in your path of righteousness. Thank You Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and report to the resident pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending Your Son to die for our sins and to show us your will.
Precious Lord, teach us the Father’s will and purpose, help us to live according to them.
Father, when we need to suffer for our faith, let it be according to your will.
Father, help the church to open the eyes of believers to your will and be ready to suffer according to it, not like the world’s suffering.
Father, let our nation be revived and your will be done in it, as it is done in heaven.
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