Seeing God’s hand in your sufferings
Warm-up: a) If you were in a fairy-tale and had one free wish, what would you ask the fairy to change in your circumstances ? b) If you try to put yourself in the shoes of the first century readers of Peter’s letter, what would you probably be wishing to change in those circumstances ?
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19 (KJV)
1) What were the circumstances Peter is describing as a “fiery trial”?
2) Read 3:13 How do you reconcile that statement with 4:12? Did Peter contradict himself?
- 3:13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
- 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
3) v14: Why did Peter distinguish the “sufferings for the name of Christ” from suffering as a criminal?
- v16; v19: How can sufferings possibly be according to God’s will?
- Consider the hypothetical situation that somebody in the church is defaming you and you find out about it. How do you determine whether you suffer this according to God’s will, and whether or not you should be rejoicing about it?
4) v18: Why are even the righteous only saved “with difficulty” (scarcely)?
- cf Lk 13:22-25 “Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
- cf Lk 18:25-27 “Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
- cf Mt 24:22 “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
6) v19: How can you ‘commit yourself’ to your faithful Creator?
- Why would Peter possibly refer to God as the Creator in this context?
- cf Dan 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
7) Personal & application
- When and how did you learn that some sufferings must inevitably befall every Christian?
- How can you help each other in sufferings to not lose hope?
- Can you identify someone who suffers persecution for whom you want to commit to pray regularly?
Bibletogetherblog 