The Power of Suffering (Part 2)

Trouble is not necessarily a sign of being sinful. The Bible declares, "many are the afflictions of the righteous" in Psalms 34:19.  

When you suffer innocently and not because of your own sin, you should maintain a proper attitude towards suffering.  The real test of your spirituality is how you respond in the day of distress:

Proverbs 24:10 "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."

The Bible describes the attitude you should have when you suffer as a believer within the will of God. 

(1) You should not be ashamed:

1 Peter 4:16 "If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf..."

(2) You should commit your soul (your suffering) to God, knowing He works all things for your good:
 
2 Peter 4:19 "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator."

(3)You should be happy when you suffer according to the will of God:

Acts 5:31 "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

Paul says you should be:

-Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer-Romans 12:12

-Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it-1 Corinthians 4:12

-In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses- 2 Corinthians 6:4

-Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God-  2 Timothy 1:8  

-That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto- 1 Thessalonians 3:3

-But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry-2 Timothy 4:5

You should not think it strange when you experience suffering:

1 Peter 4:12, 13 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing partaker of Christ's sufferings; that when His glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy."

Paul summarizes the proper attitude toward suffering  when he explains. . . 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Paul views suffering as a servant.  He said it works for us as believers.