Language has a way of softening serious things through casual use. Take the word “suffering.” Around graduation season, someone might joke, “I had to suffer through that three-hour ceremony! The person I came for had a last name starting with Z!” But that’s not real suffering.
You and I know what true suffering feels like—grief after a loved one’s death, chronic illness, overwhelming stress, lingering guilt, or deep spiritual struggle. Maybe you’re in a hard season right now. If so, the book of 1 Peter is written for you.
1 Peter is often called the Bible’s “book of suffering,” using the word suffer 18 times in just five chapters—more than any other book of Scripture. The original audience faced brutal persecution. Christians were martyred for their faith. Today, we may think, “How can my suffering compare?” But suffering shouldn’t be exaggerated or minimized. Dismissing our own pain or someone else’s does a disservice to what we’re going through.
Peter writes about a specific kind of suffering: suffering because of your faith. “If you are insulted for the name of Christ… if anyone suffers as a Christian…” (1 Peter 4:14,16). Jesus said in John 15:20, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” As followers of Christ, we are called to share in His sufferings.
Of course, most of us aren’t about to be thrown to lions. But hostility still exists. Some Christians face lawsuits for holding biblical convictions. Others are mocked or “canceled” online. Students may enter college environments where their faith is constantly challenged. And all believers experience spiritual warfare—a different kind of persecution that’s just as real.
So, what do we do with our suffering?
Peter gives two practical responses. First, rejoice (1 Peter 4:13). Not for the suffering, but in the midst of it. Evil is still evil; wrong is still wrong. But God is still good. Our pain doesn’t change His nature or His saving actions for us. Jesus still died and rose for you. Through worship—especially in community—we’re reminded of who God is. We praise Him not because life is perfect, but because He is.
Second, entrust your soul to your faithful Creator and keep doing good (1 Peter 4:19). Trust God. Keep showing love—even to those who are unloving. Keep living out the Great Commission. Rather than resenting the world and its hostility, see the world around you as a mission field, desperately in need of the treasure we’ve been given to share: the Gospel!
Peter’s message reminds us that while suffering is real, God is also real, and He’s greater than any hardship we face. He’s not absent in our pain. He walks with us through it.
Praise God, trust God, and do good. That’s how we endure suffering as Christians.
Pastor Chris Kennedy 