Suffering

Since Christ suffered while he was in his body, strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking Christ had. The person who has suffered in the body is finished with sin.  Strengthen yourselves so that you will live here on earth doing what God wants not the evil things people want.

1 Peter 4:1,2

My friends, do not be surprised at the terrible trouble which now comes to test you.  Do not think that something strange is happening to you.  But be happy that you are sharing in Christ's sufferings so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory.

So those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right.

1 Peter 4:12,13, 19

What goes through your mind when you read those passages?  Do you find yourselves turning more to God when problems arise?  Do trials bring you closer to him?  

I know for me, while I am in the midst of a bad situation I go through several different stages.  I feel sorry for myself, I get angry, then I may ask myself why?  Why do bad things have to happen to us?  Maybe they happen to strengthen us, to prepare us for something, to show us that we can.  Because with God's help, we can, and we do, we get through situations that we never thought we could.  

So I will leave you with a favorite verse;

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10