1 Peter 4:12-14

¹² 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. ¹³ But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

This is a bit of hard one for me to read, but it is an encouragement I need. I’m unlikely to face anything remotely comparable to what the audience of Peter’s letter were facing. But the principle still applies. We shouldn’t be surprised if we face hardship and trials – that is part of just existing in this world – without considering what comes from being a Christian in it, which can result in further hardships.  

Incredibly, Peter asks us to rejoice in those moments, because we can, through them, participate in the sufferings of Christ. We can become more like Him. I think rejoicing in our suffering can mean that we’re still fixing our eyes on Jesus and what’s to come, and not losing our joy and hope because of that. I don’t think it means we have to be happy about the circumstances that we’re in. 

Praise God that our future of complete peace and joy is guaranteed and secure. May the incredible blessings we have in Jesus be a never-ceasing source of peace and joy that sustain us through life’s tough times. Let’s pray that God would give us that vision and focus on the gospel, so that when hardships come, we can rejoice knowing that we’re participating in the sufferings of Jesus, who won us our eternal salvation. 

David Lather