Encouragement in the Midst of Suffering (Part 3 & Conclusion)

Today we conclude our series on finding encouragement in the midst of suffering. Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2. There are many sources of our suffering in this fallen world. I don't know what suffering you are facing but I hope these encouragements from God's Word strengthen you in the midst of your trials, however strong they are and however long they may last.

Encouragement #7: God Begins Judgment with Christians — v. 17, 18

At first, this does not sound like an encouragement. Who wants to be judged? Let me explain why we can gain encouragement from it. The church is the household of God, according to 1 Timothy 3:15. Our suffering is partially explained by God’s judgment on the church of God. Notice it says, “For the time is come.” This present time is the time God is dealing in judgment with His own people. You say, “I thought God was saving His people during this present age!” He is! And Romans 8:1 proves there is no condemnation for believers. Believers in Jesus are saved from all God’s wrath already. All the eternal consequences for sin are gone forever.

The judgment Peter means is not condemnation but chastisement, cleansing, and refinement. God is presently refining His people to make them more like Jesus. Since God is our Father, He spanks his children in the right proportions and for the right reasons. Hebrews 12:6 “THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” God chastens us so we can share His holy character.

Here is the impressive outcome of that chastisement. When we are really humble and holy, it’s an incredible blessing to us personally. Holiness and humility are such positive experiences, that you never want to live any other way. Happiness settles into your heart. Another statement to write down and remember is this:

Holiness plus humility equals happiness.

Besides, it is highly appropriate for God to begin by cleaning up His own people before judging the nations. 1 Corinthians 11:32 refers to believers and points out, “But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.” See, just because the judgment of God begins with the household of God, does not mean it ends there. What will be the outcome, or put another way, what will happen to those who do not obey the gospel? That’s referring to unbelievers! What will happen to unbelievers? A pretty good answer comes from 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “(Jesus will) deal out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

So, thank God we are going through God’s cleansing right now, so that we might not be eternally condemned along with the world! I’ll take that kind of purposeful suffering any day in comparison to facing eternal Hell. The chastening hand of God is love. Hell is total rejection with no hope, Revelation 21:8.

Take a look at v. 18 once again. It states that it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved. Why is it difficult? Well, it was difficult for Christ who had to suffer on the cross. But in this context the difficulty means believers have to suffer some before they enter into glory. And if that is what God does to believers to purify them – if God allows believers to be insulted and thrown to the lions — can you imagine the terror that will come upon the godless man?

This just puts our suffering in perspective and makes it a little easier to accept from the hand of the Lord who demands holiness from all creation.

Lastly …

Encouragement #8: Suffering Compels us to Entrust Ourselves to God — v. 19

The word “therefore” shows this is the application or the summary of what Peter has been writing. Since the godless man faces the fierce wrath of Almighty God, we can accept our suffering. It’s a walk-in-park in comparison. We can, with peace and serenity, trust God with what He is doing in our lives. For the suffering is according to the will of God. And the will of God is good and acceptable (Rom. 12:2) even if often hard.

The reason we can trust Him is that God is faithful to us! He is a faithful creator. He provides for our needs everyday — today included. Just look outside! Everything is still holding together. God is still in charge of all the molecules. “Therefore,” this verse exhorts, “Let us entrust our souls to a faithful Creator.” We must commit ourselves, our lives, and our souls to Him. As the verb indicates, we must learn to give over the care of our lives – the supervision of our very selves — and place it in His hands. “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” the hymn reminds us! Therefore, He can handle your life too. Jesus taught that if God watches over every single sparrow, He will never forget you and me, Luke 12:6, 7.

I have turned over my life, my family, my ministry, my fruit, my everything to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I have deep peace — the peace of God that guards the heart and mind, Philippians 4:7. To you I urge, “Don’t blame God for every hard thing that comes into your life. Don’t assign wrong motives to God’s heart. He is not out to rob you of life and joy! Nothing could be further from the truth! Remember what Jesus said that He came to do for us? John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” This is Someone you can trust.

Trust Him as He turns wrong into right. Trust Him as He helps you endure suffering. As you suffer, go before the Lord each day and as Psalms 55:22 puts it, “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Don’t view God as presently harsh. View him as committed to your eternal well-being and your present godliness. Remember that there is a new heaven and earth coming! I’ve been thinking copiously about that recently. Revelation 21:3-4 says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them , and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” That is fantastic, and its coming is as certain as the dawn.

We entrust things to God, notice, by continuing to do what is right! Again, Jesus is our example. 1 Peter 2:21-23 “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

You trust God by doing what is right. I know the suffering is hard! I wish I had the ability to embrace you who are hurting, calm you and reassure you, as others have done for me in my suffering. I don’t have that ability. But obedience does not end when suffering begins. Our obedience to God and our focus on His word should actually intensify when we suffer.

One way you obey God is by looking out for others who are suffering too. Be there for them. Hug them. Pray for them. Offer them your help.

Conclusion

What a wonderful loving church I am a part of in Columbia, Maryland! It is proving more and more loving with each testimony of compassionate people serving each other. Let us resolve at our own local church, wherever it is, never to let a fellow soldier of the cross fall on the battlefield alone! Be there for the wounded in their moment of crisis. Lift him or her up and bind their wounds! Let your hands be the extension of the loving hands of Jesus Christ so that those suffering are profoundly encouraged that God is indeed still with them!