Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. (1 Peter 4:16, ESV) When we are struggling, it is easy to let your struggle become your identity. It puts you in the victim mentality. You allow your struggle to define you and set the course for your life. But you are not a victim. You are a child of God. You will not be … [Read more...] about Your Suffering Does Not Determine Your Identity
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The Complexity of Suffering Continued
Yesterday, we discussed the complexity of suffering. There are no easy answers. To add to the complexity, we might recognize there are many different types of suffering. Consider this list of 13 different types. It's not comprehensive. Endemic - it is part of the human condition. Demonic - spiritual warfare is real. Victim - when you are wronged. Collective - … [Read more...] about The Complexity of Suffering Continued
The Complexity of Suffering
The Apostle Peter was well acquainted with suffering. He suffered persecution. He was imprisoned. The tradition was that he was martyred by being crucified on a cross upside down. If anyone knew suffering, it was Peter. This book, 1 Peter, was written to Christians who were facing severe persecution because of their confession of faith. Very few of us reading this will ever … [Read more...] about The Complexity of Suffering
Verse of the Week: 1 Peter 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6–7, ESV) Every Sunday I share a verse of the week. Use this verse to meditate, pray, ponder, and memorize during the week. See how taking just one verse into your heart each week can be … [Read more...] about Verse of the Week: 1 Peter 5:6-7
Suffering for Doing Good
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:17, ESV) Jesus said that in this world you will have trouble. There is no doubt about that. There are struggles every day. A big question is: will our troubles be for doing right thing or the wrong thing? There are consequences to our actions. When we fail to align our … [Read more...] about Suffering for Doing Good