For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.
Peter is going to talk about “unjust suffering” for a while. As he explores this theme, he segues into the topic of wives submitting to their husbands. I’m not saying that there is a connection here, but I suspect that the wives who are reading this might have some special insights on this passage. Anyway, for now, he is content to focus on the general topic of unjust suffering.
There are two specific conditions to consider: First is the word “commendable,” and second is being “conscious of God.” The term “commendable” infers that someone is there to commend the behavior. Suppose that you are alone on a deserted island and that somehow for a while God turned his back on you. NOBODY is looking. No one. Whether you do good or bad, nobody notices. There is no one to commend your good behavior or condemn your bad behavior.
Now, let God turn around again. You cannot see Him, but He can see you. You know he is watching but you don’t know how he is watching. Is he looking through the eyes of that cockatoo in the coconut tree, or does he peek out through the coconuts themselves? (These are the kind of questions you ask yourself when you have been stranded on an island all alone for a long time.)
It doesn’t matter. It is enough to know that God is watching. And because you know that and believe, God is honored. Because you do your best to bear up under unjust circumstances, God commends you.
This is our situation: Whether we are in a horribly unjust condition or a wonderfully enticing situation, God is watching. How we respond demonstrates what we believe about God.
Application: Act like God is watching you all day today. (Hint: He is!)
Food for Thought: How is pain a measure of one’s belief in God?
Our response to the tests of life reveal where we place our trust and hope. When these tests come, do we try to manipulate others and rely on our own ingenuity? Do we rely on materialism, humanism or hedonism? Do we just give in to despair? Or do we trust the Lord with all our heart and seek Him in prayer and complete dependence? If we trust the Lord we see His faithfulness and like a muscle our faith grows through the hardship. (Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; Matthew 7: 24 – 27; James 1: 2 – 4)
Rich,
I like the “muscle” metaphor. I don’t like exercise (pain) but I do like the result. The same holds true for my faith walk. I really like walking closer with our God.
Our response to pain is a measure of our faith in God. Do we trust our God as Sovereign or do we raise our fist to Him because He has allowed our life to become uncomfortable. It is commendable when someone bears up under pain and suffering because they trust God in all things..
The book of Job is a great example. In the beginning, God asks Satan to consider Job as an example of faithful obedience. Satan tells God Job is only faithful because God is spoiling him with gifts. God agrees to allow Satan to test Job, however only within LIMITS set by God. Job’s faith in God is greater than the pain inflicted by Satan. Satan is defeated and Job is rewarded.
John 16:33, Jesus tells us to expect trials and sorrows and promises peace as we draw close to Him, for He has overcome the powers of this world.
Romans 8:28, God instructed Paul to write, our pain is not meaningless but has a purpose. And not just some situations, he writes ” in all things.” Our suffering never concludes without God’s power working through it supernaturally.
Ron,
I hear you saying that suffering can be a means for learning to lean on Jesus more. I like that!
Pain sucks! Have been told before that I was a pain in the ass,..there seems to be so many faucets of pain,..death is a pain, getting cut is a pain, falling down can be a pain just as getting back up,..listening to the news is a pain,..eating to much food in one sitting is a pain,..sometimes it’s a good pain but a pain nonetheless,..the guy in another car just cut you off and made you slam on the brakes could be a pain,..especially if it caused a wreck,..
Not sure how any of this has got to do with a measure of belief in God,..other than I let God know that pain sucks! I know He is there listening and watching,..I know He has it all planned out in advance,..so I look for the purpose of my pain,..most of the time it’s just sheer stupidity,..I know God is watching and laughing more than likely,..watching me juggle stuff getting out of the car and then the phone just happens to ring while my hands are full,..I just look up and laugh now,..before it was like what?! God You knew I have my hands full or whatever the scene was,…Kinda cool we can now laugh together over little things like that,..
Still,..pain sucks!
John,
I am laughing with you! I’ve been right there, too. It is wonderful to know that God is there for us in every little pain as well as the big ones.
I think it helps to remember that God is not the source of our suffering, but our rest in our suffering.
Sorry, that’s all I got.
Rob,
Please don’t apologize! That is a great point!! How often to people blame God for their troubles? God has given us a beautiful world to live in, and from the beginning the human race has been prone to mess things up. Like ripples in a small pond, the “mess” reflects back at us and we have the audacity to wonder where it came from, or worse, blame God.
God is the answer to our suffering. He is the relief for our pain. He is the hope for our future.
In the service we had a saying. Pain is weakness leaving the body. As long as your living your life in a true relationship with God and understand that he has a plan for everything. It might be to steer you in a better direction or a lesson you need to learn but that pain like the muscle will make you stronger if you let it and learn from it. I’m thankful he has made me spiritually stronger and helping shape me and mold me into who I’m becoming.