Suffering By & In God's Will

Pain, persecution, and suffering are all part of God’s will for our life (1Peter 3:17). It is His will of decree that we experience suffering. This is part of the sanctification process. Sometimes we are being disciplined and chastened by our loving Heavenly Father (Hebrews 12:6-7). At other times we must live with the consequence of our sin and our foolishness. And yet sometimes, God allows trials and tribulations to test our faith. If we pass the test, we will grow and bear the fruit patience and endurance. (James 1:2-3). If we fail, we realize our need for repentance and dependence on God. This is one reason that God decrees trials and sufferings. It is for our own (ultimate) good. It is so we may be mature, complete (James 1:4) established, strengthened, and settled (1Peter 5:10). All that live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2Timothy 3:12).

Why? Because that is what God has ordained, it is His will of decree. On the other hand, God also has a will of desire in the midst of our suffering. We have no choice in whether we suffer affliction and persecution, but we do choose how we respond in trials and suffering. God’s desire is that we suffer for righteousness (1 Peter 3:17). He desires that we do not suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evil doer or busybody (1 Peter 4:14-65). We are to suffer, not because we have failed to do the right thing or to be the right kind of person, but we should suffer for doing what is right.

Furthermore, we are not to repay evil for evil, but we are to repay evil with good (Proverbs 20:22, 1 Thess 5:15) and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-44). We are to be angry, yet not sin (Ephesians 4:26). It is God’s desire that we face trials and tribulations like Job. In the aftermath of the horrific events which robbed Job of his wealth and children Job was still able to bless the Lord and not sin (Job 1:20-22). This is the key principle; worship God and do not sin.

This key principle has two aspects: perspective and right decisions. In order to be able to worship and be joyful in hard times, then we must realizes that God is sovereign and in control. We must recognize that the situation is for our good, no matter how wretched it seems now. We must have faith. I am not talking about the positive attitude faith, or an intellectual faith, or even the name and claim if-I-believe-hard-enough-good-things-will-happen kind of faith. This is a gut-wrenching, breast-beating cry of “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). It is a total dependence on God, and not your own strength.

Secondly, we must make a conscious decision to follow the path of righteousness. We must make the hard choices to follow God’s will of desire, even it means intensifying the pain, persecution and suffering. We must follow scripture, and be led by the Holy Spirit. This is no easy task, but it is crucial to our sanctification, our joy in Christ, and our testimony to God’s glory.

It is God’s will of decree that we suffer in trials and tribulations. It is His will of desire that we do so in obedience and righteousness.

¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11, New King James Version)

for His glory,

DJ