In Suffering Be Faithful and Rejoice
Why? Why does God allow this pandemic and all the suffering that goes with it? Why can’t we go back to school? Why can’t I have a normal graduation? Why have I lost my job, my business? Why did Grandpa die? Why are my school friends bullying me and rejecting me because I am a Christian?
It is okay to ask these questions. But we must be very careful in how we answer them because we do not know the answer. We cannot presume to know or read God’s mind. God allows suffering to discipline us, teach us, and test us. But many times the answer is not clear at the time of suffering. Many times the answer becomes clear long after the event. And many times we may never know the answer until we are in heaven and all will be revealed.
In the meantime, we must listen, try our best to hear God’s voice, what He is trying to teach us. But there is something else we must also do, we must remain faithful to God. It’s easy during times like these, to give up and give in to the ways of the world. In suffering we are called to persevere and be faithful to God.
1. Learning from Job and Jesus
First let us learn from Job and Jesus how they remained faithful during their suffering. We all know the story of Job. He was a blameless and upright man. He feared God and turned away from evil. Then God allowed Satan to bring terrible suffering into his life. Job did nothing to deserve this suffering. He struggled with the why-question, and his friends presumed to know the answer, but God never explained to him why. This is the lesson from Job. Throughout his terrible suffering he remained faithful to God. He maintained his integrity. He did not sin in what he said. He spoke only truth, what is right, about God. Job remained faithful.
Now, let’s learn from Jesus in John 11 when he raised Lazarus from the dead. After Lazarus died and Jesus eventually arrived in Bethany, the sisters, Mary and Martha, blamed, reprimanded Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” That was their why-question. “Why did you allow this? If you came earlier, you could have healed him, and he would not have died.”
Take note of what Jesus did. He gave no explanations. He did not answer their why question. Instead, He comforted and encouraged them. He helps. He serves. He weeps. He prays. He is there for them, with them. He remains faithful to his ministry to love and serve.
And then he raised Lazarus. And by doing so he signed his own death warrant. This action was the last straw for the Jewish leaders, and they put their plans into action to kill Jesus. By giving life to another, Jesus gave up his own life. He was faithful to God the Father by remaining faithful to his mission to die and save the world. Like Job and Jesus, we are called to remain faithful during suffering, difficult times, and persecutions. Now, let’s turn to 1 Peter 4.
2. The End is Near
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” (vv.1-2)
We have been crucified with Christ. We have been set free from sin. We are no longer slaves to the ways of this world. We are called to have the same attitude, the same way of thinking, the same resolve as Jesus Christ to be faithful to God. How? By living according to the will of God during the rest of our lives on earth, in this life. And because we do not join the world, they will heap abuse on us (v.4). But we will continue to live faithfully in the ways of God.
“The end of all things is at hand (is near).” (v.7) We are living in the end times, and in these times we are called to persevere and remain faithful to God. Jesus is coming back. The final judgment is coming. Are we ready? How will he find us when he returns? Will he find us busy, faithfully living the kingdom life he gave us to live, faithfully doing his kingdom work he sent us to do in the world. How can we remain faithful during these end times, times that go with suffering and persecution?
3. Be Faithful
“Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray” (v.7)
Be alert, be self-controlled — it means to be of sound mind, to practice wisdom, to think and reason sensibly, with a clear mind; to have the right thoughts. This involves practicing self-control over our passions, emotions, views, and decisions.
But to do that we must also be of sober mind and practice self-discipline. We must be sober in our thinking, decisions, and actions. When someone is drunk he or she cannot practice self-control. We must not become drunk, that is, we must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed and controlled by our emotions, feelings, anger, fears, and selfish desires.
Only when we are thinking clearly and practicing self-discipline, can we pray rightly. And prayer is the lifeblood for living faithfully for God. It is through prayer that we put on the armor of God. It is through prayer that we abide in Christ. It is through prayer that we listen to and walk in step with the Holy Spirit. It is only through prayer that we are able to be faithful to God.
Then — “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” (vv.8-11)
Above all, we are faithful to God when we love God and others unconditionally and with all our strength. And when we truly love others as Jesus does, then we forgive them their sins against us as we pray in the Lord’s prayer. We forgive them as our heavenly Father forgives us. And so love covers a multitude of sins. Love is the greatest gift. Out of love flow all the other ways of living faithfully. Without love we cannot be faithful to God.
Out of love we will show hospitality to friends and foes, family, and foreigner. We will receive them, host them, feed them, and provide safety and security to them. We will not grumble and complain. We will do this selflessly putting their needs above our own.
Out of love we will serve others with the gifts God gave to each one of us. We are the stewards of God’s grace, God’s love, of his gifts. Our calling is to use our gifts to bring God’s love and grace to others. What is your gift? Are you using it to serve others?
4. Rejoice
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. … So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (Vv. 12-16,19)
We should not be surprised by suffering. This is not something strange or new. Jesus warned us that this will happen. Faithful living and faithful service mean that we are willing to suffer like Christ and that we will rejoice and be glad in that suffering. We rejoice because our suffering is evidence that the Holy Spirit is with us, that we are God’s people, and that we are faithful. We rejoice because we are suffering for our Lord, and our suffering serves his kingdom and his glory.
We don’t know why this pandemic is happening, at least not yet. But we can know this. God loves us. He is with us. We can pour out our hearts to Him because He is our refuge. And then we rejoice and are glad in the midst of suffering. We entrust our lives to the faithful Creator God, and we are blessed because the Spirit of God rests upon us.
By remaining faithful to God we bring glory to God. We make Him known to the world. When we persevere, remain faithful, and rejoice in the midst of suffering, when we continue to pray, to love, show hospitality, serve others, then we draw people to God. People will begin to ask questions, and we can share the good news with them. And also know this, when we remain faithful and rejoice, we are defeating Satan. We are pushing the darkness away. The light of Jesus Christ shines through us into the world.
So, in the midst of suffering, ask your questions, pray, share your feelings with God, but then give it over to God, and trust God. He created us. He saved us. He will not forsake us. God is and remains our faithful refuge, strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear. We will not give up. We will remain faithful to God no matter what happens.