Why, God?

"Oww, that hurts!" If you've been a parent of small children, you've heard that phrase a time or two, maybe hundreds of times! When our kids are young and the pain comes from a surface scratch or cut, we can usually alleviate these cries with a bandaid or two. And with the advancement in bandaid 'technology' it might even have their favorite cartoon character or Disney princess on it!

But what do we do with deeper pain? What does our own Father do for us when we cry out from suffering, no matter whether it seems light and fleeting or long and intense? We've just come through a long study in the Psalms and have seen David and others cry out to God when it hurts. We've at least been able to feel those emotions of hopelessness or loneliness when we think no one else cares. Aren't we even tempted to think that maybe God doesn't care about our suffering at times?

Tonight we'll look at Peter's words to suffering Christians in 1 Peter 4:12-19. As deep and broad as this topic could be, we'll try and glean some understanding of what we should be doing during our suffering and look at what God does in us and the church through suffering. I hope you'll view and see!

Phil Estes