January 14 | 1 Peter 4:12-19

Beth Voltmann
Jan 14
3 min read

DAILY READING

1 Peter 4:12-19

REFLECTION

Blessed to Suffer

By Beth Voltmann

Each new year many of us are motivated to change our lives in some meaningful way. More intentionally, Christians often pray that the Lord will help them to grow in their faith. I wonder, though, if anyone has ever asked to suffer more? Not I.

In America, we rarely suffer physical harm in the way that believers in other nations do (China, Nigeria, Malaysia, India, North Korea, and Iran to name a few), but we are very familiar with our faith being mocked, ignored, disregarded, and marginalized, causing us to suffer in a myriad of ways.

Have you experienced suffering this past year as a believer? How did you respond? Did you praise the Lord through it?

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ you are blessed,

for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:14)

The idea that we are blessed to suffer seems like a paradox (a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true). In fact, we read in God’s Word...“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” (Philippians 1:29)

Suffering has been “granted” to us? A paradox indeed.

Many theologians, including Martin Luther, understood and taught that God blesses believers through their suffering by producing:

· Conformity to Christ

· Spiritual development

· Deeper faith

· Mark of belonging

In fact, Jesus spoke to his disciples (and to us) saying, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

As I begin this new year, I want to commit myself to my faithful Creator (v.19) and trust his will for my life. My feet may be in this broken world, but my true life is hidden with Christ in the Kingdom of God - where the Father loved us so much that he sent his only Son to suffer and die in our place – where death has been defeated - where the meek inherit the earth - where we pray for our enemies – where the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom – and where, when we suffer in his name, we can rejoice.

Praise God we bear Christ’s name! We are blessed to suffer. What an upside-down, topsy-turvy, beautiful truth to embrace.

PRAYER

Lord, please give me a fresh vision of Christ Jesus in this New Year. Teach me to welcome your plans with open arms instead of fearing what might come. What am I afraid of? Your Spirit and the glory of God rest on me! Help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BETH VOLTMANN

After moving to Ohio in 1997 with my husband and four children, I developed a hunger for God’s Word through adult teaching and women’s Bible study at UALC. My passion is to help others understand Scripture so that they may grow in their desire for more of God and experience the new life offered to us through Christ Jesus.