1 Peter 2

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:21-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jesus is our example to follow for how to handle suffering when it comes our way.  We all experience times in our lives when things do not go the way we want them to.  However, it is precisely during these difficult times that we have the opportunity for spiritual growth.  Here is an excerpt from “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere, “We grow in the tough times, not the easy times.  Hard places will always come in our journey with the Lord.  We cannot escape them but need to face them, for they are part of the process of becoming perfect in Him.  If you choose to run from them, you will seriously hinder your growth.  As we overcome different obstacles, you will become stronger and more compassionate.  Jesus learned obedience through suffering, as did Peter and Paul.  If you are rowing on a river against the current, you will have to continuously row in order to progress against the flow of the river.  If you stop rowing and relax, you will eventually flow with the current.  Remember that when we lose our life for the sake of Jesus, we will find His life.  Learn to fix your focus on the end result, not the struggle.”  As Christians, we should constantly be working towards maturing and becoming more like Jesus every day.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to be able to handle everything that comes our way in life with unshakable confidence and peace?  How did Jesus handle His trials?  He suffered in silence and did not demand His own way.  He did not make excuses or blame others.  He did not retaliate or seek revenge on those who were mistreating Him.  He did not fret or give in to anxiety.  He knew that God had a plan, and He trusted that plan because He trusted His Father.  There are so many circumstances in our daily lives where it just feels good and natural to complain, get angry, criticize, argue or blame.  But Paul tells us this in Philippians 2:14-15: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”  Paul commands us to be shining, godly examples in this world, even in circumstances where it would be normal to whine, complain, and get angry.  So what should we do instead of complaining and arguing when we feel like it is justified?  Be constructive instead of destructive.  Find something positive to suggest.  Encourage or redirect.  Resist the temptation to get offended.  Use scriptures such as Philippians 4:8 to help us stay on the right track: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  It may be fairly easy to handle a difficult situation once, but it is a completely different story when we have to face repeated, daily struggles or trials that drag on with no resolution in sight.  This is when we need to persevere, look to Jesus as our example, and to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit.  “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (Hebrews 12:2, NLT).  No matter what trials come our way, we can absolutely handle them with stability and peace.  And when we do, we learn and grow and are better equipped for the next time we encounter disappointment or hardship. 

No one is perfect and it is impossible to handle every tough situation the way Jesus would have.  But if you walk humbly, appreciate the refining process, remain thankful, and accept God’s grace along the way, you can become the spiritual house He is constructing you to be.