1 Peter 4:12 Don't think It's Strange - Devotional Scripture

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

Our suffering is not a failure of God’s plan or God forgetting what He promised.  It is the center of God’s will for His people to suffer for what is good, for His sake. 

Peter says we shouldn’t be surprised when trials and testing come and yet we are often not only surprised, but we are tempted to give our emotions more weight and authority than they rightly deserve. We have a great ability to trouble our own troubles. We get angry and push those away that can bring us comfort. We are tempted to doubt God and so we don’t run to Him for help. So much of the agony we put ourselves through in times of trial and suffering has to do with our disregard of God's faithfulness, or of His place as Creator. He is our sovereign Creator, with the right to do with us as He pleases. Yet He is faithful, and will only do what is ultimately best for us.

God uses those moments of suffering to pry open our hands so we will let go of the things of this world that we’ve looked toward to give us rest, peace and hope so that we would rely on Him and Him alone. It’s amazing thing that God would love you so much that he would not want you to remain in your sin in any way so He is pushing you and pushing you so you abandon your self-righteousness, your wisdom, your strength and you find your rest, hope and peace in Him alone.  He pushes you to let go of the idols of everyday life that you know will never satisfy your heart so you will find satisfaction in Him.  Suffering is part of God’s grace. It builds godliness into our lives. Once Jesus is revealed in this world all the suffering we have experienced in this world will fade away in the light of His glory and grace.