For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1 Peter 2:19-20 NIV
It’s a fact of life that everyone, believers and non-believers alike, experiences suffering. We are all susceptible to the common afflictions of humanity, from illness to accidents, and even the natural process of aging. Often, these are circumstances beyond our control.
But suffering can also come as a consequence of something we’ve done or a stand we’ve taken. And that is the type of suffering Peter refers to in this passage. He divides this suffering into two general categories: suffering for our faith and suffering for doing wrong.
How much do I suffer because of my faith in God? Not very much. But that is not true for every believer. In many places in the world, believers face active opposition from family, neighbors, and the authorities.
Peter’s words here are especially relevant to those experiencing real suffering for their faith. But they also apply if our suffering is only a minor inconvenience or irritation.
Responding to Unjust Suffering
As a believer, responding to unjust suffering can be challenging. But Peter says it is commendable if, while enduring suffering for our faith, we bear up under it. There are at least a couple of aspects to this. It means, first of all, that we do not give up. Don’t let the unjust suffering deter you from faithfully following the Lord.
But it would also mean that rather than fighting back or complaining, we should rejoice that we have been counted worthy to suffer for our Lord (Acts 5:41). It is a privilege to suffer for the Lord (Phil. 1:29). And it is something that we should expect (2 Tim. 3:12).
As believers, we should never suffer for doing wrong—at least wrong in God’s eyes. We should always seek to honor and glorify our Lord in what we do and say. But if you suffer because you bear the name of Christ, rejoice and continue to be faithful.
