Focus on What Matters in Suffering

If you’ve read my last post you know that the past several months have been tough. God helped me endure through it by speaking the truth to my soul, giving me an awesome support system, and changing my focus. I had to saturate my mind with the word of God. So I spent a lot of time studying the book of 1Peter. In it, God helped me to focus on what matters in suffering. 3 things stood out to me in the text: God’s Son, God’s will, and God’s glory.

The apostle Peter is writing to Christians who are either currently being persecuted or will be soon.  They were losing their jobs, privileges, rights, families, inheritance, and their lives for being followers of Jesus. Believers today also face the fiery darts of the devil, infirmities of our flesh, financial problems, death of loved ones, broken relationships, sinful actions of others, and so much more.

Suffering isn’t selective, it affects us all.

But why do we have to suffer?

The Purpose of Suffering

I don’t presume to know all of the reasons why God allows suffering. But I do know some of the results of it. Persecution, affliction, infirmities, and spiritual warfare break us- of our self-righteousness, self-confidence, self-focus, and self-sufficiency. And brokenness is necessary for our holiness.

Suffering also reveals the weak areas of our faith. It humbles us, shows us our neediness, and our lack of spiritual maturity. And suffering proves out our loyalty to Christ.

 

Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. ~ Martin Luther

 

Trust His Sovereignty

Everything God causes or allows in our life has a purpose- to grow our faith and to bring him glory. We have to trust his sovereignty in our suffering. Knowing his character and remembering our commitment to him, we have to cleave to the Lord and focus on what matters in the midst of our suffering.

Nothing comes into our lives that didn’t pass through our sovereign Lord’s hand first. And Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for good for those who love him.  So if it’s in our life it will be good for us whether it looks good or feels good at the time. Just trust that if you’re in a season of heaviness and heartbreak right now, then your good and loving Father has a purpose for it.

The apostle Paul describes God as “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” in 2Corinthians 1:3.  He goes on to say in verses 4-7 that the Lord comforts us in all of our tribulations so that we can comfort others.  The purpose of suffering isn’t just to break us and benefit us, it’s also to help us bear the burdens of others.

2Corinthians 1:6-7~ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

Focus on God’s Son

It’s natural to focus on our pain and problems when our world seems to be crashing down around us. Pity parties don’t come with presents, but Jesus does.  When we focus on him it makes it all more bearable and we can begin to see the blessing in it.

Yes, there are blessings in our sufferings, we just have to look for them. Jesus helps us process through the pain, to filter it all through truth, and gives us the strength we need to endure.

Jesus is the star of the show in Peter’s epistle to Christians in crisis, chaos, and confusion. He reminds those undergoing fiery trials of their faith to focus on Jesus. To focus on the salvation we have through Jesus, the suffering that Jesus himself endured on our behalf, the sanctification of the Spirit making us more like Jesus, and on the second coming of Jesus.

When we focus our attention on Jesus and:

• All he endured for us.
• The deliverance he’s given us.
• The victory we have in his name.
• The future hope of eternity with him, free of sin and Satan’s schemes.

Then our perspective changes. Our heavy hearts are lifted and our faith is strengthened, even if our circumstances remain the same.

Follow Jesus

1Peter 2:21-24~For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

Jesus walked this path of suffering before us. The Son of the living God didn’t argue, complain, or fight back… he committed himself to the righteous Judge. While people were persecuting him without cause, and he was in the midst of intense suffering he surrendered.  He yielded his will to God’s. Which is our next thing to focus on in suffering – God’s will.

Focus on God’s Will

1Peter 3:17-18-~ For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

Sometimes suffering comes as a result of our own foolish choices. But sometimes we suffer because we’re following Jesus and we’re a threat to the enemy.  He seeks to destroy us, and he doesn’t fight fair. If you remember in Job Chapter 1 Satan had to ask permission to afflict Job.  His desire was to see Job reject the Lord and turn against him for allowing horrible suffering in his life. Job remained faithful to the Lord and was rewarded with a more intimate knowledge of God than he had before. (Job 42:5)

God’s will isn’t a mystery. His desire is for all of mankind to be saved and sanctified (1Tim. 2:3-4, 1Thess. 4:3). Part of our sanctification is suffering for his glory. In order to grow in holiness and Christ-likeness, we have to surrender our will to God’s. Being in the will of God isn’t always fun and it doesn’t always feel good.  A lot of times it’s actually painful to follow God’s will.  But it’s the best place to be.  In his will, we have protection, peace, and his presence.

Not my will but Thine be done

There was a point in my recent suffering that I finally stopped fighting and resisting the fire of affliction. I had just wanted it to stop. I didn’t want to be uncomfortable, unsettled, and undone.  But the words of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane kept coming to mind. I knew that God just wanted me to lay down my will and exchange it for his. So I waved the white flag of surrender.

That was a breakthrough moment for me. From then on I began to pray for God to reveal his will and what he was teaching me through these trying times, instead of begging him to stop the suffering.  He began to show me the heart issues I didn’t realize I had.  And he helped me understand that what I was going through was God’s will.

God wanted to bring me closer to him, refine me, grow me, and prepare me to be a better minister of truth.

Jesus cleared the fog and helped me focus on what matters. It wasn’t my comfort, will, or happiness, but my holiness, and God’s Son, God’s Will, and God’s glory.

1Peter 4:19~ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Focus on God’s Glory

Whether we’re suffering or celebrating, God deserves glory.  To glorify God is to bring Him honor, praise, and worship. It’s our supreme purpose in life.  We were created for his glory. (Rev.4:11). He is worthy of all glory, because of who he is and what he has done for us.  No matter what we have to suffer as a stranger and pilgrim on this earth, God is worthy of glory.

God gets glory from our suffering when we:

• Choose to get our mind off of the circumstance and on the character of our God.
• Live what we know to be true.
• Believe his word and proclaim his goodness.
• Trust his sovereignty and ability and aren’t dominated by fear.
• Allow him to sanctify us through the suffering.
• Embrace it instead of fighting against it.

Romans 8:18~ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Chances are you’re in the midst of suffering or are about to be. It’s inevitable.  How we respond to it determines if we’ll grow or get bitter.  We can choose to focus on the heartache and loss, or we can focus on God’s Son, God’s will, and God’s glory. I hope that when the next trial comes my way I’m able to cleave to Christ, commit to surrender and submit to God’s will, and worship my faithful God instead of wallow and worry about my woes.

1Peter 5:10-11~ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Related Articles:

3 Reasons Why Prayer is Essential to Your Spiritual Growth

How to be Sober in Stressful Times

7 Ways out of a Spiritual Slump

My Top 10 Resources for Spiritual Growth

The Importance of a Sober Mind for Spiritual Stability

Pray With Confidence

Prayer is absolutely essential when you are in a season of suffering. If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence.  It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the monthly contributors. Here are a few links I think will be a blessing to you:

5 Things to Thank God for When You Don’t Feel Thankful

3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability

2 Things to Remember to Find Peace in Chaos

19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God

You also want to check out the prayer resources, Bible verses, and tough questions tabs.  There are many great options to boost your spiritual growth!

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