When Christians Suffer

"In His kindness God called you to His eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation" (1 Peter 5:10) NLT.

In this 1st letter of the Apostle Peter, he expresses from first-hand revelation to the Gentile and Jewish Christians that there is always hope in the midst of suffering. Peter was empathic about this because he witnessed Christ’s suffering; yet at the same time, Peter also witnessed the hope Christ bestowed upon all those who received Him as a result of His shed blood on the cross. During this period of time, Christians were persecuted because of their faith in the Work of Christ. Suffering is a part of the Christian walk; Christ endured suffering and any follower of Christ will do the same. If you haven’t experienced suffering then just know that you will. For God promised that this life will encumber trials and sufferings; yet, we have hope because the Greater One resides within each of us and we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Amen! Now, that’s a testimony of hope for every believer.

As we expound on this 10th verse of 1 Peter, we will come to an awareness and understanding that our trials and sufferings builds Christian character. Some of us would never transpose from our comfort zone to a zone of stepping up and stepping out in unforeseen arenas. These unchartered arenas/areas are the elements that birth exuberant and awe-inspiring testimonies. A dear friend of mine said, "God builds the testimony in us and then He delivers it through us." Amen! The profoundness in this is that humans do not like the test that’s necessary in order to have a testimony. We want the blessings of Christ yet we find it difficult to endure in the sufferings of Christ. However, we must arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ in our suffering just as He did in His suffering. What attitude did Christ behold during His time of affliction? His attitude was to do the will of God which was to carry the gospel to all nations and destroy the works of the devil.

Peter wants the elect of God to not lose hope but to realize that suffering is one tool that God uses to prepare us for life and service in the Kingdom of God. A close view of our text reveals four things that God promises to His elect who are enduring trials and tribulations, sufferings:

1. God will restore you – God is in the restoration business and delights in seeing his people put back together again. Life is often hard and the enemy of our souls does everything in his power to make sure our eyes are not fixed on the Lord. If he can detract us long enough, he knows we are more apt to fall. Take heart child of God, there restoration ahead, and we win. God is for us and not against us. It is the heart of God to restore His children. See, God will come for the backslider for it is His desire for the world to come to His saving grace.

“Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings…and give you a heart to know Me" (Jeremiah 3:14, 22, 24:7 NKJV).

It is in your heart that you can encounter God and be restored. Jesus speaks this message to people who once knew a nearness to God, but have drifted away. The Greek word for restore is ‘kartartizo’ which means to mend together that which is torn; thus God will repair, reinstate, renovate, reestablish, and refurbish:

• Our relationship with Him – when we seek God and called out to with all our heart; He promised He will draw near to you. This is why Peter preached the message of repentance.

• Our state of daily spiritual being (removal of oppression and depression) 2 Corinthians 5:17, old things are passed away and behold all things (everything, not some things but everything) has become (it’s in the state of newness now) new.

Solomon wrote in Lamentations 5:21 (NKJV), “Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old…”

• Our physical health - "For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD " (Jeremiah 30:17).

• Of wealth and prosperity – Not only will God to restore but in the restoration He assures that we have more than what we previously had.