How to Suffer for Goodness Sake

Who could possibly hurt you if you’re following the Lord? Surely God will protect you from evil, because greater is He that is you than He that is in the world. Right? Sort of. Remember Job? He was hurt, even though he followed the Lord. Remember Jesus? He was hurt, even though he was the Lord.

It was Peter who raised the question, And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? (1 Pet. 3:13) As it turns out, it wasn’t a question that demanded the answer no one, because the next verse goes like this: But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

There are many verses that promise God’s protection and peace. But they have to be balanced with verses like this: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Tim. 3:12)

As you know by now, the theme of 1 Peter is Be ye holy; for I am holy (1:16) We aren’t holy alone. We follow the guide. If our guide suffered for righteousness’ sake, so will we. Peter tells us how to get through it. Note though that the suffering he discusses isn’t suffering for stupid things we do. It’s the suffering that happens because the world is dark, and the children of darkness don’t think and believe like we do. They expect us to, but we don’t. So they oppose us, and that’s the suffering Peter talks about in chapter 3. Follow his advice:

• Consider yourself happy or blessed instead of terrified or troubled if you get to suffer for righteousness sake. (3:14)
• The fact that you handle persecution this well may intrigue your tormentors, and they will wonder how you do it. Be ready to give a meek answer for the reason of the hope inside you. (3:15)  
• Keep a good conscience, so their accusations against you don’t land on firm ground. If you are living a pure life, your accuser will end up looking stupid for being so petty or for lying about you. (3:16) Really, you’re suffering for their sins of maliciousness. Take it on the chin.
• It’s better that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. (3:17)

And finally, Jesus is raised as the example: 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: (1 Pet. 3:18)

Jesus suffered for others’ sins to bring us to God. You are blessed if you get to suffer for other people saying unjust things about you. If you handle it in a godly way, it may be used to bring them to Jesus.

Look Forward or Look Up

If you have spent many days down in the dumps, disinterested in everyone and everything around you, unmotivated to get out of bed and all that goes with that emotional spiral, then you truly know what suffering is. It is a desperate, hopeless prospect.

If that’s you, sit up for just a moment. There have been others who suffered emotionally. Maybe not in the exact same way as you, but if you met them, you would understand each other. Let’s call it the fellowship of suffering.

Remember that so far we have talked about meek people. Moses was meek. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. (Num. 12:3) That word means poor, humble and needy. Does that sound familiar? In his poor, needy mental state, he had a conversation with God, started by God. The Lord approached him and said He wanted to use Moses. Yes. A depressed person is no challenge to God. In fact, He prefers crushed people. They are easy to work with. You and Moses might have been friends if you lived in the same era.

Jesus was meek also. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29 AV) Meek for Him meant he was gentle and mild. But he was also lowly in heart. Lowly in Greek means brought low with grief, depressed.

What? Jesus was depressed? He was God, and He was depressed! If you consider all he went through, you know why. His point in mentioning it is in verse 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He identifies with you. He had low points in His life. But he made it through. We have the advantage, because we can see His life, beginning to end, and we know the purpose for His suffering. In our own lives, we only see right now, and we don’t see the purpose.

How did Jesus make it through His depressing times? He looked ahead. He thought past what he was going through. He knew the future looked better. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2)

Can you do that? Can you look down the pike and see better days? Until then, capture this: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15-16)

If looking forward doesn’t help, look up. You’re in good company. Jesus understands, and He has the power to help you.

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil. 2:8) He made it through the worst thing that can happen to a person. Put yourself in His hands. He can help you make it through far lesser things.