Daily Devotion

“We were promised suffering. It was part of the plan. We were even told, "Blessed are those who weep." I accept that. What I encountered wasn't unexpected. However, when it actually happens to you, not someone else, and is real, not imagined, it makes a world of difference.”

CS Lewis · The Painful Journey

Scripture

1Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that is happening to you to test you. Instead, rejoice, since you share in Christ's sufferings, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice with exceeding joy.

Reflection

Suffering is not accidental; it is part of God's plan. Lewis reminds us that true trials, when they come upon us, are very different from those we accept in our minds. First Peter also points out that fiery trials are not strange things but a sign of our union with Christ. Suffering is not meant to destroy us, but to refine us so that we can rejoice with Christ at His glorious revelation. If we can trust God in suffering, we will discover that His presence is more real than in comfort.