Reasons to Persevere in Suffering

In the weight-training rooms across America you often hear the phrase, "no pain, no gain!" An athlete understands quite well the necessity of training to prepare for a future race. This training involves discipline, hardship, and hard work -- the "pain". All this is to build up and strengthen the body in order to win the race -- the "gain".

Our LORD Jesus Christ lived this same principle, "no pain, no gain" as He endured the greatest suffering of all in order to win the greatest prize of all -- a people cleansed and forgiven of sin, made holy, and reconciled to Almighty God. He wants to strengthen you and build you up for future" races" -- places of service in His kingdom which will require more of you than you possess today. One of the primary ways to mold you and refine your faith is through suffering. In our Scripture today, Peter calls these "fiery trials" (1 Peter. 4:12, NKJV). And, thankfully, he gives us reasons to persevere through these fiery trials.

Main Thought: The Christian who perseveres through suffering for the sake of Christ and His gospel reveals the glory of God at its greatest. You CAN persevere through suffering because suffering for the sake of Christ:

Identifies you with Him and His gospel (1 Peter. 4:12-13a).
Fills you with exceedingly great joy through a deeper understanding of what Christ suffered for you (1 Peter 4:13b).
Blesses you with the presence of the glorious Holy Spirit Himself (1 Peter4:14).
Purifies your heart in terms of trust, commitment, and goodness (1 Peter4:15-19).

1. Identifies you with Him and His gospel.

12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings...(1 Peter 4:12-13a, NKJV)

Why would I want to rejoice in any kind of suffering for the sake of Christ? After all, you may think, suffering is not good for me -- it's suffering! Remember, suffering was not good for Christ in the human sense. He suffered the most inhuman treatment anyone could imagine. Yet He endured this suffering for you and I. His suffering was for the ultimate good, not His own good.

Peter tells us not to think it strange that we too must endure suffering. His letter was written shortly before the burning of Jerusalem and the widespread persecution of Christians by Rome. The life-threatening ordeal that each Christian would be facing would be a "fiery trial" indeed. It is even reported that the mad Emperor Nero would coat Christian prisoners with tar and set them on fire at night to provide light in his garden. Many others would give their lives in the gladiator rings or to the lions for the perverted entertainment of the Roman citizens. All because they tenaciously proclaimed that Jesus is LORD of all.

Through this kind of suffering for your faith, you "partake of Christ's sufferings." When people persecute you in this way, they are really persecuting Christ Himself. Thus, through your suffering you become identified with Christ. It is a fact that each of us will face trouble in this world for Jesus told us, "In this world, you will have tribulation" (John 16:33, NKJV). The Apostle Paul also reminds believers that "...to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29, NKJV). So each believer must expect that this is going to be a reality at some point -- some will exclude you, mock you, or even hurt you because of your faith. Accompany this expectation with an attitude toward suffering that:

Accepts this suffering as a mark of identification with the One who gave Himself for the sins of all humanity.
Sees the ultimate good that Christ has done on the cross and that He is also doing in you and through you.

Knowing that suffering for the gospel is your personal mark of identification with Christ is one reason to persevere through it.

2. Fills you with exceedingly great joy through a deeper understanding of what Christ suffered for you.

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13b)

Peter goes on to say that to whatever extent you suffer for the sake of Christ, you will be filled with joy when He returns. He says it will be exceeding joy, joy that makes you wonderfully glad. Why does suffering for Christ bring joy to you when He returns? Jesus said at the end of the book of Revelation,

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Rev. 22:12-13, NKJV)

The believer will be rewarded by Christ personally for his work in the Kingdom of God. There is not if, but, or maybe to be considered here. It is a certainty because Christ has already spoken -- it is true. Those who suffer for their faith in Christ, to the extent that they suffer, will be rewarded accordingly.

Another thing to consider is the joy that comes from sharing in the sufferings of Christ personally. In his book, My Turn at Bat, Ted Williams describes the brutal regimen of practice which he put himself through to become "the greatest hitter who ever lived." He was the last baseball player to earn a .400 batting average. Ted said, "I practiced until the blisters bled -- then I practiced some more." He enlisted every friend he knew to pitch and shag balls for him -- he even paid strangers to do this. He lived for that next moment he could swing the bat. Very few people could understand hitting at his level. Just a few years ago, another great hitter named George Brett came very close to batting .400 also. He described a similar regimen of practice in his own life. He would get to the park 2-3 hours early for batting practice. He would hit balls on the inside corner, the outside corner, high pitches and low pitches. His routine would cover hitting to left field, center field, and right field. He wanted to be able to hit any pitch anywhere on the field. When George finally met Ted Williams, they could talk about hitting at a depth that you and I would simply not understand. Through George's suffering in practice, he gained a deeper understanding of what Ted had gone through to become such a great hitter.

While suffering is hard to endure, it will produce in you a deeper understanding of what Christ went through for you. You will love Him more. Your joy in knowing Him will be greater. Your appreciation of His sacrifice for you will be greater.

So you can moan and groan about your suffering for Christ or you can be glad at the prospect of His return. As one pundit said, "pain is inevitable, misery is optional." You will surely be rewarded for your struggle and have an exceedingly greater joy in having known His sufferings. This is the second reason to persevere through suffering.

3. Blesses you with the presence of the glorious Holy Spirit Himself (1Peter 4:14).

14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.(1 Peter 4:14, NKJV)

Perhaps the greatest benefit of suffering for the gospel of Jesus Christ is found here. Peter has in view those times when people insult or revile you because you claim the name of Christ. Those who suffer such personal attacks will experience the personal presence of God the Holy Spirit.

It is very hard to stand alone against an accuser. If, however, you have a strong advocate to stand with you, it becomes easier to stand up to the attack. God's word tells us that:

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him...(Eccl 4:9-12, NKJV)

This has wonderful application to the marriage relationship. But it also illustrates the need for a helper in times of personal persecution. Will you be overpowered by such attacks on your character, motives, or actions because of your faith? Not when you have the LORD of Hosts at your side! Peter speaks of the "Spirit of glory" which "rests upon you" during such times:

He will be with you to provide comfort for He is the "Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation" (2 Cor. 1:3-4a, NKJV).
He will be with you to provide strength and courage "for the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him" (2 Chronicles 16:9a, NIV).
He will be with you to bring peace to your heart, "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding" which "will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7, NKJV).

Know that during such times you will be blessed with the presence of God in a powerful way. This is the third reason to persevere. You will not go it alone.

4. Purifies your heart in terms of trust, commitment, and goodness.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:15-19, NKJV)

It is prudent for every Christian to examine his motives for whatever word or deed has brought about the persecution. Peter admonishes us not to be found suffering for something that would bring shame to the name of Christ. Note that meddling in someone else's affairs is listed in the same line with being a murderer or thief! Rather than suffering for wrongdoing, be sure your motives and conduct are such that they glorify God.

In an interesting way of looking at suffering for your faith, Peter points out that if through suffering the righteous person is saved, what will be the fate of the ungodly person who rejects Christ? A sobering thought to be sure. To the extent that you have suffered persecution for your faith, know that God will surely recompense those who cause it. His justice will be swift and sure -- perfect justice for every offender.

But Jesus Christ wants to accomplish something in your life through such times of suffering and persecution. It is the purification of your heart. This speaks of your level of trust in the Living God. This speaks of your commitment to Him and His word. This speaks of your goodness --inside and toward others. Suffering in any form can accomplish this. God, who knows you and knows what you need and what you can bear, will use this to cleanse, purify, and perfect your faith.

There is no shame in suffering for Christ. This can mean suffering in the sense of persecution. Based on Peter's statement in verse 19, it seems to be broadening the sense to include any suffering because you follow Christ. For instance:

Staying by the bed of a sick family member.
Visiting someone in prison.
Living in an undesirable place in order to minister and be a witness for Christ.

Peter reminds us that God is our "faithful Creator." He will reward you for such good work. He will vindicate you in any suffering. Your good work must flow from a heart that is fully trusting in Him and fully committed to Him. There is no shame in any suffering when this is the condition of your heart. Rather, this brings glory to God through Christ working in you and through you.

Reflect on YOUR life: When was the last time someone offended you or hurt you because you said you were a Christian? Or when was the last time someone hurt you because something you did out of your love for Christ was misunderstood? These things are hard to take because of the pain they cause. It is natural to draw back and turn away from doing the work of Christ for fear of the pain. Even if we gained no blessings in it, we should do it to glorify God.

During such times, remember the One who loves you and gave Himself up for you on the cross! He knows you and what you can bear. He has called you to carry His message of redemption to the very world that crucified Him. So suffering is the inevitable identifying mark for your faith. Even so, you can persevere through suffering for the sake of Christ and His gospel for He will make it so -- it reveals the glory of God at its greatest. Your reward and blessing in this are certain. So is your purification. Therefore, put on a good attitude toward it since it is inevitable and produces such wonderful, eternal dividends.