Recently I was reminded of a passage that I have seen hundreds of times. But this time it hit me differently. So of course I wanted to share it with you <3
A couple of passages, actually. About the same subject.
Sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
The first passage that the Holy Spirit brought to mind was I Peter 4:13 - But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.
As I meditated on that verse, I was reminded of a similar one in Philippians 3:10 - that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
I had always thought of these as referring to the suffering we can expect as persecution for righteousness’s sake. And certainly the context of the verse in I Peter underscores that. idea. But I think there is a richer depth to the idea of sharing in His sufferings that I just now grasped.
Some backstory to help convey my thoughts….
I was immersed in gratitude for God’s goodness in my life. I was praising Him and was awash with thankfulness and humility at how undeserving I am for His abundance to me. I knew then and I know full well now that, while obedience certainly brings blessing, only God’s generous grace can account for the gifts He lavishes on me. Above and beyond what I can ask or imagine.
My mind rightly went to the knowledge that much of the good I experience is due to His faithfulness to me through other people. The prayers of grandmothers and mothers. The integrity of parents. The kindness of friends. The generosity of family members. The unselfishness of others. On and on I went, thanking Him over and over.
This gratitude bubbled up into a longing to bless others in the same way. For my faithfulness and prayers and giving to be means of grace to those around me. As I prayed that very idea, a bit of fear gripped me. Fear that my mistakes, my neglect, my sin, would cause a loss of blessings, especially to those I hold dear.
This was sobering. And I wanted to wriggle out of this thought, but the Holy Spirit held me there for a while. A needful reminder of how all our actions affect others.
I let myself reflect on the fact that, while I have certainly been the recipient of God’s goodness through the lives of others, I have also experienced loss and pain and hurt because of someone else’s sin. That’s when the Holy Spirit whispered I Peter 4:10 to me: “sharing in the sufferings of Christ.” As I reflected on the verse, I thought about what and why He suffered. He suffered physical and emotional pain because of the sins of others. His death, as we all know, was not because HE deserved it but because WE DO.
So, to share in His sufferings means that I experience pain because of the sins of others. I incur loss that was not of my own doing. I absorb hurt due to someone else’s actions.
And, to the extent that I do so willingly, without complaining, even joyfully, I experience intimacy with Him. I become transformed to be like Him. And one day, I will share in His glory.
I don’t know about you but this changed how I see suffering.