What Does 1 Peter 4:1-2 Say About Sufferings?

     Why is this happening to me?  Many times I've asked God questions like this.  And I've gotten a lot of answers to this and similar kinds of questions as I've read through the Life- Studies of Witness Lee.  In chapter 19 of the Life-Study of 1 Peter Witness Lee points out that some believers were undergoing persecution from their masters, and this was probably stumbling them.  Perhaps their natural thought was I believe in God, so why are bad things happening to me now?  I think this is an age old problem. Here's what Peter says about suffering:

I took this last week while walking at a nearby lake.

Since Christ therefore has suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same mind (because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin), No longer to live the rest of the time in the flesh in the lusts of men, but ""in the will of God.  1 Peter 4:1-2

     I was listening to the radio program #20 on this chapter last week, and they talked about how a lot of Christians have the mistaken thought that believers should only receive blessings, kind of like the name it and claim it gospel you hear sometimes on the radio.  

On the broadcast Witness Lee shares this portion that is on page 233 of chapter 26 of the Life-Study of 1 Peter: 

"It is not easy to to stay away from lusts and do God's will when we are rich in material things.  This is the reason God assigns a certain portion of suffering to us.  These sufferings restrict our lusts and preserve us in the will of God.  In this sense we all should worship God for our sufferings….We should not be afraid that our sufferings will be too great.  The Lord knows how to assign sufferings to us….He will not assign either too little or too much.  His assignment will be in the right proportion: it will be exactly what we need" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of 1 Peter. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1982  Print).

   This fellowship helped clear up this funny thought I pick up from certain books that when we follow the Lord, there should only be prosperity and blessing.  And if something terrible happens, that means something is wrong with us. This chapter helped give me a divine view about sufferings.  And what touches me is that each of our sufferings has been personally assigned to us by God. 

Blog Update 1-19-15:  Here's a beautiful song called He's My God that I found today on Youtube that's about God being with us in our sorrows.

I like to listen to the Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee while I'm cooking or typing. You can listen to live excerpts of these messages that were given in 1982 along with some outstanding commentary. 

What is the Sanctification of the Spirit in 1 Peter 1:2?
What is Obedience to the Truth in 1 Peter 1:22?
How Do Believers Grow According to 1 Peter 2:2?
How Does God Get the Living Stones in 1 Peter 2:5?
What Does 1 Peter 4:1-2 Say About Sufferings?
Why Does 1 Peter 4:17 Talk About God's Judgment?
What Does Partaking of the Divine Nature Mean in 2 Peter 1:4?
How Does the Prophetic Word in 2 Peter 1:19 Prepare Us For the Lord's Coming?

Other Life-Study Posts on Sufferings

From the Life-Study of 2 Corinthians:
What are Sufferings for in 2 Corinthians 4:7-15?
From the Life-Studies of 2 Corinthians - Did You Know That Pressures Cause Renewing in 2 Corinthians 4:16?
Why Didn't the Lord Remove Paul's Thorn in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?

From the Life-Study of Philippians:
What's the Connection Between Forbearance & Anxiety in Philippians 4:5-6?

From the Life-Study of James:
Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?
What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?