1Pt.1

If being a christian meant committing to a life of suffering and persecution, would we still choose to identify with Jesus? This was absolutely the context of the recipients of this letter. They were all having to endure tremendous persecution because they were christians!

I wonder how God views our circumstances? I rarely, if ever, suffer because I am a Christ follower. Yet, for many believers around the world, suffering is the norm for them. And what's more, they are not coddled by Peter. They are told to endure the suffering in holiness and joy! He even says they are "being protected by God's power" in the midst of this suffering.

We should seek to get perspective from this book. How much is our confidence in God rooted in our circumstances? What if everything was striped from us because of Jesus and we were forced to suffer for our faith. I wonder how we would respond then. I am challenged to live in light of the sufferings of others. These are difficult thoughts.