This Present Suffering
Following Christ’s Example in 1 Peter 2:18–25
There is a kind of suffering that feels especially heavy. Not the kind we clearly caused by our own mistakes, but the kind that feels unfair. Misunderstood. Undeserved. The kind that leaves you asking, “Why is this happening when I have tried to do the right thing?”
This is the exact kind of suffering addressed in 1 Peter 2:18–25.
Peter speaks to believers who were experiencing injustice and mistreatment, and instead of offering escape, he offers perspective. Instead of promising relief, he points to Christ.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”
1 Peter 2:21 ESV
The Example We Struggle to Follow
Jesus’ response to suffering is not natural for us.
When He was reviled, He did not revile in return
When He suffered, He did not threaten
He entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly
Silence when accused. Truth without malice. Trust instead of retaliation.
These are not weak responses. They are deeply spiritual ones. They require a confidence that God sees, God knows, and God will judge rightly.
This forces us to wrestle with honest questions:
Where in my life am I experiencing suffering or unfair treatment right now, and how am I responding internally?
Which part of Jesus’ response is hardest for me to imitate: His silence, His truthfulness, or His trust in the Father?
Suffering Is Not a Sign You Are Outside God’s Will
In John 15:18–20, Jesus tells His followers that the world’s rejection is not surprising. If they hated Him, they will hate those who follow Him. In Matthew 10:22, He reminds us that endurance is part of the journey of faith.
Suffering for doing good is not evidence that God has abandoned you. It is often evidence that you are walking closely with Christ.
Peter makes this clear. There is no credit in enduring punishment for wrongdoing. But when you suffer for doing good and endure, it is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
The Eternal Perspective That Changes Everything
Paul gives us the lens we desperately need in Romans 8:18:
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
The pain is real. The injustice is real. But it is temporary. The glory is eternal.
When we view our present suffering through the promise of future glory, we stop demanding immediate justice and start trusting eternal justice.
Why This Matters for Us Today
We live in a world that encourages us to defend ourselves loudly, retaliate quickly, and protect our reputation at all costs. Jesus shows a different way.
He bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds, we are healed. We were once straying like sheep, but now we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
That means our identity is secure. Our future is secure. Our vindication is secure.
We are free to respond to suffering the way Christ did because we trust the same Father He trusted.
This Present Suffering Is Not Wasted
Your hardship is not meaningless. Your unfair treatment is not unseen. Your endurance is not unnoticed.
God is using it to shape you into the likeness of Christ and to prepare you for a glory that far outweighs what you are experiencing now.
The question is not whether you will face suffering. The question is how you will respond when it comes.
Will you respond like the world, or will you follow in His steps?
Because this present suffering, as painful as it may be, is not worth comparing to what God has prepared for those who endure.