08/10/2025
Are you suffering in or through something that God has called you to do? If so, how are you approaching your hardship? Does it cause you to question the Lord’s presence in what you are doing, or to experience personal pride in your suffering? Neither of these is a proper way to deal with our hardships and suffering because they make His call less about Him and more about ourselves. Only by leaning on Him and maintaining a humble trust in His will are we properly responding as we go about obeying our calling and walking in His will.
“Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
1 Peter 4:19 ESV
I know a pastor who is called to travel to the Middle East where he serves the church and wins souls in an incredibly hostile and dangerous environment. He has pastored a church here in the United States for many years and could have chosen to safely remain with that for the rest of his life, but God called him to do more and suffer as he did so. If you were to meet this man during one of his return visits to the United States, your first impression would be "this is a humble man of God who serves Him in a calm and unremarkable manner", but he is a superhero for the Lord. You would have little clue that he is actually Superman and that you are only seeing him as Clark Kent because he lives a humble and unassuming life of absolute trust in God. He bears the burden and suffering of his calling by entrusting it to God. Peter had to learn this lesson before he could deliver the message we just read. Listen to what Jesus said to Him as he was being taught...
“But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."”
Matthew 16:23 ESV
Peter had to learn how to recognize his calling and its associated suffering, especially as it pertained to others... in this case how it pertained to Jesus. Our first scripture this morning (1 Peter 4:19) is the direct result of the lesson Peter was taught when Jesus looked at him and said "Get behind me, Satan!"
We need to see the suffering of other saints, and even our own pain, in this same light. The calling of God isn't about us, or our comfort, but about something far greater, so we need to go with the flow of His will and not let our discomfort or pain become a hindrance to what He has called us, or others, to do.
One Wednesday night I listened to one of my pastors teach about blessings and giving as it pertained to tithing and the church, but something else he said actually became the true lesson for me; he said... "God's greatest treasure is people, or souls." My pastor spoke about how there is really nothing of this world that God needs from us, after all everything we have is his creation in the first place. He said that tithing is a biblically good thing, but it the treasure is n our relationship... not pleasing God with what we give Him, but in our desire to give it. Even tithing and gift we offer is founded in God's greatest treasure... us... our souls, our hearts, and the relationship we have with Him. So, I say this to make a different point this morning; if God's greatest treasure is souls, then our suffering when called is insignificant and pales before His will and purpose.
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."”
Luke 15:10 ESV
We tend to look at our suffering first and God's will second. We wear the hardship we endured during our Calling like a badge. Is that appropriate? When we do this, it makes our effort and struggle for Him about ourselves. If we do this we are seeking glory in the degree of our suffering, and claiming God's victory as our own doing.
Have you ever noticed that the greatest hosts and hostesses are those who make you feel that all the hardship they endured in preparing for your visit was a pleasure? They might have spent days laboring to make their home ready for your arrival, and cooked all that day, but when you walked through their door it was as if they had done nothing extraordinary that inconvenienced them... they made the visit about you... you were their treasure; their reward, and they made your comfort, not theirs, first and foremost. A wonderful host will say nothing that would make you feel that your visit was an imposition. Our suffering for God is like this; we shouldn't reveal the hardships we experienced as we attempt to gain acknowledgement, glory, or reward for what should have been about love and doing God's business as we gathered His treasure.
Standing on the corner and praying, or proclaiming our suffering to gain notoriety or reward, is not how we should deal with serving and suffering for God. My pastor friend who serves the Lord in dangerous and difficult places serves the Lord in harm's way, but he never makes it about the danger or hardship, he speaks of the will that God has for him... he speaks of God's treasure... the souls he is winning there. Peter talks about trusting in God with our suffering while we are doing what He has set us about... the gathering of souls... of serving to collect God's greatest treasure. Our suffering should be held close and done in secret.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:5-6 ESV
So how are we dealing with the hardship and suffering we face in doing God's will? Are we making those we are tasked to save feel like a burden when they come to our church, or into our home? Do we brag about the extreme measures we have dealt with as we have delivered the gospel, or do we claim each soul that all our suffering has won to be the great victory of Christ that it was? Are our tithes and gifts made to please the people of the earthly church and build monuments to ourselves, or, do we give them in secret from our heart? Whose treasure do we value most... His or ours?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your call in my life, and I pray that the suffering and hardship required along the way is not what becomes a stumbling block to me. I pray Father that your glory and treasure are all that I find of importance as I go about doing your will. Holy Father, let my prayers with a repentant sinner be simple and to the point; don't let me feel that I must impress them with oration, or that I become the focus of this prayer in any way. Let your presence be all important, and gathering this soul to you my greatest desire. In your call I know that there will be inconvenience and hardship, but that by trusting in you I can face all things with humility and grace. Should you call me to clean the church building, mow the lawn, teach others, or go abroad with the gospel... whatever you call me to do help me to do it in such a way that my suffering is not the focus, but that serving your will directs all the glory to you. Help me Lord, to be a good servant in directing others into your house and your presence. Let me wait on those who dine today at your table and keep me humble and invisible as I lay the bread of Jesus before them and fill their glass with his finest wine. Then Father, as I retire to the kitchen, let me feel a touch of your joy in having been present at the feast. Praised be your name Father, because you are the creator of all things, and from you all blessings flow.
Amen!
Rich Forbes