No one likes suffering.

That’s fine.

Because we don’t like suffering, we think that God must not want us to suffer.

That’s not fine. That’s not fine because that kind of thinking is wrong.

The early Christians would find such thinking baffling. You see, for the early Christian suffering was normative. They didn’t like suffering just like we don’t like suffering. But they also knew that suffering was necessary and normative for the Christian life.

Don’t take my word for it. Here are just a few verses that talk about suffering in the New Testament:

• 1 Peter 2:21 – This this you were called, because Christ suffered for you leaving you an example, that you should follow in his footsteps.
• 1 Peter 4:12-13 – Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
• Hebrews 12:7 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.
• 2 Timothy 3:12 – In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
• Philippians 1:29 – For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.
• Acts 5:41 – The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
• Acts 14:22 – “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Something to think about…

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Look at the verb tense:

• God demonstrates his love
• Christ died for us

This passage would make more sense if it read “But God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us.”

But that’s not what the text says. And for very good reason.

The present tense implies that there is never a time when we do not need the Savior in our lives. It’s not just the unsaved people who need Jesus. Christians need Jesus too. There is never a time when we do not need our Savior’s guidance, our Savior’s help, our Savior’s leading. There is never a time when we are sufficient on our own. We always need Jesus.

You see, that’s why, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we remain repeat (my own translation) sinners, Christ died for us.

“And his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4b).

People often wonder how they can recognize the voice of God over all the voices that vie for their attention and allegiance.

The voice of God is not as difficult to recognize as one might think. The voice of God sounds exactly like the Bible. If it’s God speaking, God will not contradict and go against what God has spoken through his word.

And here’s the rub. I think most of us already know this. But the reason why we ask this question is because we don’t like what the Bible says. We really want to do something other than what the Bible says. So we ask around for opinions from friends and colleagues – most who don’t know Jesus and, certainly, do not live submitted lives to Jesus. And when they give us advice that sounds more like what we actually want to do, we wonder if God might not be speaking through others.

You want to know what God sounds like? Read your Bible. God sounds exactly like the Bible.