“For it has been granted to you concerning Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer concerning Him, having the same conflict such as you saw in me and now hear of in me.” Philippians 1:29-30
Suffering is a concept that is alien to the mindset of a modern day Christianity. And in every place where its stings are deeply felt, we question the choices we have made and look for answers why matters have turned out as they did. So that by any means we may trace back to the place where everything seemed so smooth and easy. However suffering is to be expected where the purpose of God comes against the works of the flesh. The Lord sends His disciples in the form of sheep to face wolves. So suffering is part and parcel of serving the Lord and those who encounter it most are those who are at the forefront where the forces of darkness are actually pushing back. The problem is we see it as a blight, a blemish, an aspect of failure, so we seek out every way possible to get out of it, we use faith, we use fervent prayer, everything else but endure it.
However suffering is not a question of faith [as to move mountains] nor is it a matter for fervency in prayer but a matter of trust. It is not our struggle to overcome but the act of relinquishing responsibility to God in confidence. Paul recalling the troubles that they faced in Ephesus writes, “For we do not want you to be ignorant brothers, as to our affliction having happened in Asia, that we were weighed against excessively, beyond our power, so as for us to despair even to live. Indeed we had in ourselves the sentence of death, in order that we should not be trusting in ourselves, but in God, the One raising the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 Paul saw the affliction that pushed them beyond what they were able to bear to be a means that taught them to trust in the mercy of God. Paul says this, not as a novice but as one who was refined in ministry and faith, that he still needed to learn that despite all opposition God is working His purpose.
If suffering can truly be escaped through faith, Paul would have done it. Paul foreseeing the tribulations that awaited him in Jerusalem enlisted the help of all, that he might be delivered from the hands of those who would afflict him. “Now I exhort you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me to God, so that I may be delivered from those refusing to be persuaded in Judea.” Romans 15:30-31 Striving in prayer with God, and certainly in faith. Yet an abundance of suffering was poured out on him. Now it was NOT because God was seeking to afflict him, but the very fact that sometimes the work has to be done through means that is distasteful to us.
And this is the grounds the Lord gave Paul his ministry, “Go, for this man is My vessel of choice to carry My name before the Gentiles, and also kings, and the sons of Israel. For I will show to him how much it behoves him to suffer for My name.” Acts 9:15-16 So he was put in a ministry that put him at odds with his countrymen, he was granted revelation that provoked some to anger and he had to go to places where nothing but chains could take him. So Paul ministered in chains and suffering and it was a blessing granted to him by God. The Lord said, “Blessed are you when they shall insult you and shall persecute you, and lying shall say all kinds of evil against you on account of Me. Rejoice and exult, because great is your reward in the heavens; for thus they persecuted the prophets before you.” Matthew 5:11-12
And Paul describes his ministry in the Lord as, “To which I was appointed a herald, and an apostle, and a teacher. [For this reason] I also suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard my deposit entrusted for that day.” 2 Timothy 1:11-12 Paul saw suffering to be an integral part of his ministry and at the same time in the struggle and suffering he endured he saw merit that served to enlarge his trust in God. So he says “I am persuaded,” it is not so much of faith but something that he came to the conclusion of through experience.
In the 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul relates how the Lord used suffering in service of the ministry to be a means to mature him. He writes, “[Because of] the surpassingness of the revelations. Therefore, that I should not become conceited, a thorn in my flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, that he might buffet me.” Paul says because of the depth of the magnitude of the secret that is revealed to him, and in case he might be tempted to think of himself more than he is in the dispensation of such a great ministry, he was also granted to face suffering. “A thorn in my flesh was given to me.” Now the first point we want to see is Paul’s own initial reaction to the suffering that came upon him. So he says “Three times I begged the Lord for this, that it might depart from me.” Paul begged to escape from it, which is what we all do, it is not endurance that comes to our mind but to seek out every means possible through which we may obtain relief, even when the Lord had blessed it to be so.
“I said, ‘Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.’” Psalm 55:6-8
But the Lord’s response to him was, “My grace suffices you, for the power is perfected in weakness.” The Lord did not seek to take away the source of his buffeting but assured him that he will strengthen him through it. So Paul finally responds, “Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, and difficulties for Christ; for when I might be weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 So a thorn in the flesh is anything that brings our flesh low. And it is in the same manner James also encourages us all saying, “Esteem it all joy, my brothers, when you might fall into various trials, knowing that testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 The point being for us to have the right perspective on the right type of suffering, because it is given to perfect us.
So we are cast into situations where our natural ability cannot get us out and all our effort is brought to nothing, which gives us the unsettling sense of helplessness. And when Paul described the effectiveness of his ministry in the power of God, he also described the necessary counterpart, that is the death that worked in himself and he says, “Now we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be from God, and not from us, being hard pressed in every way but not being crushed, being perplexed but not despairing, being persecuted but not being forsaken, being struck down but not being destroyed, always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus also should be manifested in our body.”2 Corinthians 4:7-10
Death is the low point of our flesh and the only thing that could bring us to that point of overwhelming place of weakness is the abuse we endure in insult, persecutions, hardships, difficulties and perplexity which administer death to our body so that the life of Jesus can be brought to the surface. So a thorn in the flesh, deals with our own strength, by pitting us against situations that far exceeds our might, yet we are brought through it, we are perplexed beyond our understanding, but we are not given to despair, our standing in the community is attacked through persecutions with nowhere to turn, but we are not forsaken. The psalmist writes, “You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out.” Psalm 88:8 In every way our natural reliance on the arm of flesh is taken away, it is brought to death in us so that our trust and strength is found ONLY in God. So that in everything we turn to God first and are confident only in Him.
So there is work done in us through suffering that our struggle and striving in faith cannot alleviate since such struggle goes against the purposes of God. So when Paul writes to the Philippians he says, “For it has been granted to you concerning Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer concerning Him.” Paul says this as if it is a privilege, that “suffering is granted” to them, as a gift bestowed upon them to partake of the same baptism of fire as he had. And he also encourages Timothy saying, “Endure suffering like a good solider of Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:3
Now it is not to mix this with resisting in faith and standing our ground against the assault of the enemy or achieving great feats of faith for God; so we need to address certain misunderstandings which are commonly associated with the concepts of Trials, Temptations and Sufferings. And our ability to distinguish the difference will enable us to have an appropriate response for each.
Temptations:
“Let no one being tempted [πειραζόμενος (peirazomenos)] say, I am being tempted by God.” For God is unable to be tempted by evils, and He Himself tempts no one. But a man is tempted, being drawn away and being enticed by the own desire.” James 1:13-14
The first point we ought to address is to distinguish the difference between trials and temptations. Though we are exhorted to rejoice in trials but are warned to pray so we may escape temptations. Temptations are enticements that are directed at our flesh and it is the weapon of the enemy, which he implements to stir us to do what is evil. James says, “God is unable to be tempted by evils, and He Himself tempts no one.” So all temptations are the work and product of evil. And the effectiveness of their success is in regards to our own desires. We are tempted to sin.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13
God will never tempt us to sin but He will assist us in the hour of our temptation, “No temptation [πειρασμὸς (peirasmos)] has seized you, except what is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also provide with the temptation the escape, to be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 There is no value to be gained in temptations, the flesh is not trained by it, rather it is weakened but God’s help is immediate and readily available to get us out of it. However the Lord’s recommendation for temptations is to flee not endure. “Flee sexual immorality.” 1 Corinthians 6:18 [And] “Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 There is also temptations to war and fight born out of our desire for pleasure in envy and self-seeking that compel to acts of wickedness, which James writes about in chapter 3 and 4. The point is we ought not endure temptations, because it is a trick of the enemy and not an act of suffering for the Lord, therefore it must be avoided.
So Paul warns us and says, “Therefore the one thinking to stand, let him take heed, lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 His point being do not subject yourselves to things that tempt you to acts of sin thinking you are able to resist.
Trials:
“And the one having been sown upon the rocky places, this is the one hearing the word and immediately receiving it with joy. And he has in himself no root, but is temporary. And having come tribulation or persecution on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” Matthew 13:20-21
Trials are events that are sure to follow as a result of us accepting the word of God. Because the word of God will automatically put us at odds with the rest of the world. The Lord praying for those who have accepted His word says, “I have given them Your word, and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil [one].” John 17:14-15
Now the main point of our focus here is trials of sufferings that are dispensed through the medium of people. The Lord in Revelation says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you might be tested; and you shall have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give to you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10 Even though the architect here is the devil yet it was worked through the agency of men. And Paul’s advice to Timothy on how to deal with those who oppose the truth was, “The bond-servant of the Lord not to quarrel, but to be gentle toward all, able to teach, forbearing, in gentleness disciplining those opposing, lest ever God may give them repentance unto a knowledge of the truth, and they might come to their senses out of the snare of the devil, having been captured by him for his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26 In both instances we are expected to endure faithfully, in shaping our own conduct specifically because it is brought through the hands of people. And because the Lord suffered to set them free, as much as He did for us.
“Do you think that I came to give peace on the earth? No, I say to you, but rather division. For from now there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Luke 12:51-53
The point we want to relate here is the conflict that the truth of the word of God brings even among intimate family relationships. It is our friends and families and colleagues and neighbours that are affected as a result of the change in us. Which is also the immediate means that tests the genuineness of our faith, through those in whom we have vested interests. Peter writes, “At present for a little while if it is being necessary, having been put to grief by various trials, so that the proven genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, perishing though being refined by fire, may be discovered to result in praise and glory and honour in the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 And when Paul encouraged the Thessalonians on the genuineness of their faith, he compared it to that of the church in Judea, “For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God in Judea being in Christ Jesus. For the same as them, you also suffered from the [your] own countrymen as they also did from the Jews.” 1 Thessalonians 2:14
“And all also desiring to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12
The point is that such trials of suffering are administered by people on the account of the truth of the word. And as such the remedy is only endurance on the account of those who would obtain salvation. This is the suffering we all are expected to take part of, the suffering which Christ Himself endured. Paul writes, “Now I rejoice in the sufferings for you, and I am filling up in my flesh that which is lacking of the tribulations of Christ for His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the administration of God.” Colossians 1:24-25
The Suffering of Christ:
“For to this hereunto you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow after His steps: “Who committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth.” Who being reviled did not retaliate; suffering did not threaten, but He gave Himself over to Him judging justly.” 1 Peter 2:21-23
Jesus is our example of such faithful endurance, Hebrews says, “For consider fully the One having endured such great hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you shall not grow weary, fainting in your souls. Not yet have you resisted unto blood, struggling against sin.” Hebrews 12:3-4 Christ endured “Hostility from sinners,” resisting the act of sin in His response, likewise we are also encouraged, not to be made weary [in our souls] by the malicious acts of others. In the earlier chapter Hebrews writes “For it was fitting to Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, having brought many sons to glory, to make perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10 That is Christ the captain of our faith was perfected by the things He Himself suffered. Now this was not limited to what He endured on the cross but everything that He had to endure through the course of His ministry.
“And having been found in appearance as a man He humbled Himself, having become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and granted to Him the name above every name.” Philippians 2:8-9
True obedience is born out of situations that are against our own self interests, in matters that run contrary to us. “He in the days of His flesh, having offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One being able to save Him from death, and having been heard because of reverent submission, though being a Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.” Hebrews 5:7-8 Christ the Lord learned obedience from the things He suffered, so we likewise learn through the things we suffer in our response to Christ. Which Paul expresses as the chastening of the Lord. “My son, do not regard lightly the Lord’s discipline, nor faint being reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines whom He loves, and He scourges every son whom He receives. ” Hebrews 12:5-6
The point Paul is making here is we all come to God with our own set of baggage, which God seeks to remove from us through Godly sufferings that serve to bring our flesh low so we may resemble His Son in all our conduct. “For truly they were disciplining us for a few days, according to that seeming good to them; but [He for our benefitting, in order to share His holiness.] And all discipline indeed for those being present, does not seem to be of joy, but of grief; but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those having been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:10-11 Now God is not waiting for us to step out of line so He might scold us into shape. But “He learned obedience from the things He suffered,” So it is in our own obedience to God, He seeks to reprove and discipline us through the grief that we endure on the account of it.
God does not correct us by bringing sickness or poverty or anything like that. But He perfects us by giving us tasks that serve His purpose but will certainly bring retaliation on us. He told Gideon go and bring down the statue of Baal and burn a sacrifice to God. [Judges 6:25-27] The first task God gave him, put him at odds with the very people he was meant to help. And through that act God dealt with the fear that was in him by bringing him through it. The point being there are aspects which may be unique to each of us that God seeks to heal or correct. If it is the fear of men, would not offend anyone for nothing, God may give us words that reprove and we in turn may have to bear with the consequence of our obedience.
“For this is acceptable, if for sake of conscience toward God, anyone endures griefs, suffering unjustly. For what kind of credit is it, if sinning and being struck, you shall endure? But if you shall endure doing good and suffering, this is commendable before God.” 1 Peter 2:19-20
God is always good and it is through good and faithful acts God reproves us, it is always in the light, in the service of the light that whatever is lacking in us is dealt with. This is the point we miss: When God brings us to Himself, He also gives us the opportunity to confess Him to friends and family and this might bring harsh criticisms, we might be made a cast away or disowned or whatever the consequence may be. But through this one act God has performed two good things; first a Testimony of the Lord is given to those who do not know Him, second the genuineness of our faith in Him is tested on the account of the circumstances that are sure to arise. This in turn serves to work a great work of endurance in us through the circumstances that aggravates us. So whatever element needs to be uprooted in us is dealt with when we are forced to confront situations we otherwise would never have. [L.S] told his father whom he feared and respected that he wanted to preach, which brought a heavy rebuke from his father that tore at the heart of this young teenager. But in facing what he feared most, God dealt with the fear of man that was rooted in him once and for all.
Suffering Brought by the Enemy:
“Put on the complete armour of God, for you to be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, because to us the wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:11-12
We have seen how we ought to respond to the trials of suffering that are brought on us through people. However what we are addressing here is suffering that is directly brought on us through spiritual forces of wickedness, and these we are instructed to resist with vehement resolve. So Paul makes his point in the above verse, “[Our] wrestling is not against blood and flesh.” So we wrestle with spiritual forces of wickedness; we do not endure them.
Our lack of ability to distinguish the difference between the suffering we endure for the name of Christ from our fellow man for whom Christ died and the suffering that is brought on us through spiritual forces of evil have been the main cause why we in the past have attributed such affliction as sickness and poverty to be the work of God. As a result creating a passive mindset in us to accept the wiles of the enemy with no resistance. These lies of the enemy had successfully deluded us into tolerating his intrusion into our lives disguised as religion. We have thought God gets glory from our sickness and from our poverty as a show of humility to prove our faith while it was precisely doing the opposite.
Sickness is the work of spiritual forces of wickedness which seek to incapacitate the temple of the Holy Spirit which we are. When Peter was summarising the ministry of the Lord, he firmly pointed sickness to be the oppression of the devil. “Jesus from Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all those being oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.” Acts 10:38
Poverty is also another concept that had infected the mindset of the body of Christ. Poverty just as sickness is also the work of the agents of evil. The Lord says to Israel, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field.” Malachi 3:11 Malachi shows poverty to be a direct result of the work of the devourer and how God Himself readly sought out means through which He might bind the enemy from devouring the prosperity of His people. The point is God delights in the prosperity of His servants. [Psalm 35:27]
Brother Yun, the author of the Heavenly Man made an observation on how the enemy sought to sow discord in the homes of the servants of God. And gave as an example, how Pharaoh sought to exclude the men from their wives and children in the worship of God. Likewise, Pharaoh also sought to hold back the wealth of Israel saying, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God.” Exodus 10:24-26 [B.Y] saw the devils trick in the family but it also applies to prosperity. Our prosperity can have a consequence in our effectiveness in building the kingdom of God. So the devil seeks to impoverish the whole body so that he might hinder the work.
The purpose is to make us as unproductive as possible, so that we will not be a blessing to anybody lest of all to ourselves. Even to make us appear as a bad example so that others may shun away from God. We are less productive when sick and unable to help others when we ourselves are in need. So through the years he has worked hard to bind our mind in false humility to submit to the things we ought to resist in faith. So Peter writes, “Be sober-minded; watch. Your adversary the devil prowls about as a roaring lion seeking whom to devour, whom you should resist, firm in the faith, knowing the same sufferings to be accomplished in your brotherhood throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 To walk in truth is to walk in all the fullness of God unashamedly and to stand firm in faith giving no grounds to the devil. So it requires our full resolve to resist in faith against such suffering the enemy seeks to bring upon us.
“Beloved, I pray you to prosper concerning all things and to be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced exceedingly of the brothers coming and bearing witness of your truth, just as you are walking in truth.” 3 John 1:2-3
Suffering of our Own Making:
“If you are insulted in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. For let not any of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a troublesome meddler, but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.” 1 Peter 4:14-16
In all these variations of trials and suffering Peter takes time to make sure to remind us our suffering better not be according to our own foolish endeavours. That is of our own ungodly act that brings retribution on us. And he lists what some of those endeavours are, “a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a troublesome meddler.” And Paul writing of the authorities that execute judgments on such evil acts says, “But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For He is God’s servant, an avenger for wrath to the one doing evil.” Romans 13:4 So there is suffering that results on the account of our fault and not according to God’s purpose.
“The one desiring to love life, and to see good days, let him keep the tongue from evil, and lips not to speak deceit. Also let him turn away from evil, and let him do good. Let him seek peace and let him pursue it. Because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears toward their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:10-12
The Remedy for Godly Suffering:
“Is anyone among you suffering hardships? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call near the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one ailing.” James 5:13-15
Now we are not discounting the effect of prayer, because God operates through it. James says, “let him pray,” but we need to offer the right type of prayer. “The prayer of a righteous man being made effective prevails much.” James 5:16 [Acts 12:5-15] records how the fervent prayers of the righteous saved Peter from execution. Fervent prayer is an earnest request made to God but in this circumstance the outcome of the prayer was not guaranteed. The Lord said, “A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20 Now for us to pray “show me no suffering,” that would be against the word of God. So the church in Judea made an earnest request to God for Peter not knowing what the outcome would be.
It was not against disease or spiritual forces of wickedness for which the word of God assures us of the outcome. But they prayed against what men were seeking to do and God will not operate by violating the will of mankind. When Paul asked, saying, “Strive together with me in the prayers for me to God, so that I may be delivered from those refusing to be persuaded in Judea.” And in response to the prayers, through the course of his journey Paul was warned of what awaited him, yet at the same time God impressed upon him that is exactly where He wanted him to go. “And now behold, bound in the Spirit I go to Jerusalem.” Acts 20:22 This was to be the start of the final leg of Paul’s ministry which he was going to willingly accomplish while suffering in chains.
And while in Jerusalem when he was beaten and bound in chains, barely able to stand, Paul took full advantage of the gathering of the people and gave his testimony to the whole city. Later in prison the Lord appeared to him and said, “Take courage, for as [you have fully testified about Me at Jerusalem], so also it behoves you to testify in Rome.” Acts 23:11 Paul met the requirements of the Lord while bound in chains. And from prison in Rome he wrote to the disciples in Philippi saying, “Now I want you to know brothers, that the things concerning me really have turned out to the advancement of the gospel, so as for my chains in Christ to have become clearly known in all the palace guard and to all the rest;” Philippians 1:12-13 That is through the chains he suffered even some of Caesar’s household were saved.
Now Acts 4 and Acts 16 give us an example of the right type of prayer in the midst of persecutions. And it was not a petition seeking escape but asking for strength to persevere and in worship giving praise and glory to God. “And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness, in that You stretch out Your hand for healing and signs and wonders to take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30 So there is a struggle of faith we do against the enemy, but there is also an act of trust toward God in the face of overwhelming odds yet be at peace, which Peter in [Acts 12:5-15] and Paul & Silas in [Acts 16:23-31] exhibited. “Now toward midnight, Paul and Silas praying, were singing praises to God. And the prisoners were listening to them.”
The apostles of the Lord, raised the dead, and gave sight to the blind, but No amount of faith, turned their backs into bronze, but they felt the bitter sting of the whip and every blow left its mark. Yet none exhorts us to pray so that we may escape trials of sufferings, but rather to rejoice in them. “But as you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also in the revelation of His glory you may rejoice, exulting. If you are insulted in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Peter 4:13-14
And James, giving us an example of faithful endurance says, “Brothers as an example of suffering evils and of patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count blessed those having persevered. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you have seen the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:10-11 The key feature being those who spoke the word of the Lord and on the account of the word had to endure suffering. And James points at Job to be an example of the outcome of faithful perseverance and the riches of God’s lavish blessing to be a clear indication for us, of the faithful working of God. That is it will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Trials expand our capacity to trust God, increase our patience, our capacity to care and love. So Paul speaking of his body being subject to death says, “Therefore we do not lose heart; but indeed if our outward man is being brought to decay, yet our inner self is being renewed day and day. For the momentary lightness of our affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory, far surpassing to excessiveness.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 The exceeding weight of glory is manifested in the ultimate Goal that is to be made in the likeness of the fullness of the measure of Christ. We must decrease for the life of Christ to increase in us.
“And the God of all grace, the One having called you to His eternal glory in Christ, of you having suffered a little while, He Himself will perfect, will confirm, will strengthen, and will establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
Peter says, “God Himself will…” We do not dictate the means, the time, it is not the exercise of our mountain moving faith nor do we struggle to escape those things which God Himself takes responsibility to bring us out of. God wants us to participate with Him in enduring as He works out His purpose being fully confident in His faithfulness.
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14
The Lord also teaches the same principle to His disciples in the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. In the parable the widow badgers the unjust judge by persistent petitions to obtain justice saying ‘Avenge me of my adversary.’ and how the unjust judge finally gave in to give her justice because he did not want to be exhausted by her. “ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And shall not God execute the avenging of His elect, the ones crying out to Him day and night, and be deferring in regard to them? I say to you that He will execute their avenging in quickness. Nevertheless, the Son of Man having come, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:6-8
The Lord used this example to show how God is more readily willing and how speedily He would recompense his elect but at the same time the Lord inserts, “be deferring in regard to them,” that is “though He bears long with them.” This parable is an example of a struggle we have with our fellow mankind. We are not to seek vengeance for God Himself says, “Never avenging yourselves, beloved; instead give place to wrath, for it has been written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19 Vengeance is an area that is solely reserved for God Himself. And when Peter pointed to the Lord as an example of faithful endurance in suffering he said, “He gave Himself over to Him judging justly.” If Christ did not bear long with sinners none of us would be saved. So Peter presented the faithfulness of God to do justice to be grounds to direct our own conduct in [endure suffering] as Christ did.
So here the Lord ends the parable with the question, “Nevertheless, the Son of Man having come, will He find faith on the earth?” By that question the Lord is asking, will His people be unwilling to endure suffering faithfully and “lose heart” in God’s own faithfulness to do justice and act in a worldly manner? If people lose faith in the justice of God they will take it up for themselves, they will repay reviling for reviling and threatening for suffering that is to say “I will repay you for what you have done to me..” repaying evil for evil giving no place to the justice of God in faith.
“This is a plain token of the righteous judgement of God, for you to be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer. For indeed it is righteous with God to repay those oppressing you with affliction, [AND] to you being oppressed, repose with us [AT] the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven.” 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7
So the Lord aims that question against our own conduct of faith? Seeking to enlist our response inline to the purposes of God. God most certainly will repay with affliction those who afflict us, then should we act maliciously? So there is a faith that endures evil from people, faith that perseveres against wrong, faith that does not seek to repay but gives place to the justice of God. Christ died for the good and bad, the repentant and the most unyielding persistent sinner, which qualifies all of mankind for the patient endurance from God. So the only remedy for suffering is faithful endurance in prayer, which is an act of trust in the faithfulness of God. This is how the apparent contradiction of, how can He speedily avenge them and yet be long-suffering with them is answered. The harm done to His children God would repay immediately that is in judgement, but at the same time giving as much time as possible to the offender to come back to repentance, He is also long-suffering.
“And you will be hated by all because of My name. And no, not a hair of your head should perish. By your patient endurance, you will gain your souls.”
Luke 21:17-19
Bread Bait. 
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