Suffering and God's Will

This morning I am reading through Peter's first letter. He brings up suffering, and I think its important to understand his context, and more important to understand the Father's heart. Here are some verses:

1 Peter 3:14, 17 NIV
[14]"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.”

[17] For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

1 Peter 4:13-16, 19 NIV
[13] "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. [14] If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. [15] If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. [16] However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

[19] So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

In all of these verses, Peter is speaking of suffering under persecution, not sickness or disease. There is a mindset, which wrongly applies these verses as pointing to God somehow desiring us to suffer sickness and pain or difficult times as a part of His will. If we look every closely at verse 19, from the 4th chapter, we see that they are not suffering because its God's will that they suffer, but rather they are suffering persecution for doing God's will. The context of the suffering is persecution and hardship for obedience to God, which is why Jesus suffered. God knows that by obedience we will endure hardships, trials, persecutions, and the like, and those will come upon us, as they came upon Jesus.

It might be helpful to look at the original Greek of verse 19.

The word translated 'according to' is Kata - Definition 1. down from, through out 2. according to, toward, along.

The word translated 'will' is Thelema - Definition 1. what one wishes or has determined shall be done a. of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ b. of what God wishes to be done by us 1. commands, precepts 2. will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure

The structure of Greek is different as well - literally is would be written - therefore those who suffer Kata Thelma Theos - suffer because of or according to what we are commanded to do by God.

So we could write verse 19 this way - therefore, since Christ suffered persecutions and hardships, as you pursue God's will for You, which comes down from heaven and bears His blessings in obedience to His Word, you will experience suffering as Christ suffered, (persecutions and hardship) but in the face of this you should commit yourselves to God, who is faithful, and choose to continue to do good.

The point Peter is making is that we will suffer persecution for doing good, we will suffer hardship for obedience to God, not that God afflicts us with suffering just because He wants us to suffer. I like Bill Johnson's comments concerning this, he says that if he were to treat his own kids the way some people think the Father treats us (willing us to suffer, or causing us to suffer) he would be charged with child-abuse. God does not take pleasure in our suffering, or desire us to suffer, any more than any normal dad takes pleasure in his child's suffering or wants to see his child suffer for their own good. Jesus came as a perfect representation of the Father, and he did not afflict people with sickness or hardship, rather He healed them and set them free.

Hopefully this is helpful.