Magdy Samuel

Serialized Articles From:
"Peace amid Pain"

Last Published Devotions

Characteristics of our sufferings and pain (1)

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials" (1Peter 1:6).  From this verse in chapter one, we can extract 4 basic characteristics of pain and sufferings that God allows us to pass through.

First: According to the need (if it be necessary)
Sufferings are inevitable in our presence in this world, but what encourages and comforts us is that God allows us to suffer when we are in need of this.  This verse comes in other translations as “if need be”.  It’s a pain that brings good for us.   When our father sees it is needed, He allows it to us, that’s why Paul says  "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).

If our heavenly father permits the pain on us, it’s because He sees a need, so He gives everyone what he needs and how much he can tolerate; He is not like our earthly fathers who are said to be "For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness" ( Hebrews 12:10); Therefore God allows for us the appropriate amount of pain after seeing there is a need for the change so that we become more like Him and partner Him in His sanctity.

Second: Sorrowful and Grievous (being made to sorrow)
Trials that God permits are not imaginary or formal; they are real, painful and grievous. God did not say: “made to be trialed”, or “made to suffer”, but He said: “made to sorrow”, therefore do not be ashamed of your sorrow, if you are distressed because of the troubles or difficulties that you are passing through.

The word “sorrow” is the same word which came in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 26 about our Lord when He started to feel sad and distressed “And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed; He said to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” It is a blessed and holy sorrow.

It is a sorrow that the Bible says about: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Therefore, there must be deprivations, pressures and sufferings.  We must not feel guilty when we grieve because of what God has permitted of trials and pains; He wants us to sorrow for we cannot enjoy the taste of the spiritual happiness unless we taste the spiritual sorrow.

Magdy Samuel