5 Day Devotional
*Full sermon can be found at hvcog.org
Day 1: The Reality We All Face
Devotional:
Life has a way of reminding us that we live in a broken world. Whether it’s a difficult diagnosis, a strained relationship, financial pressure, or simply the weight of daily challenges, suffering touches every human life. As Christians, we’re not exempt from this reality. In fact, Peter reminds us that followers of Jesus will face suffering – it’s part of living faithfully in a world that often rejects God’s ways. But here’s what makes our experience different: we don’t suffer alone, and we don’t suffer without purpose. While the world around us may face hardship with despair, bitterness, or hopelessness, we have access to a different kind of strength. We have the promise that our suffering isn’t meaningless or random. Think about the people in your life who don’t know Jesus. When they face trials, where do they turn? What sustains them? Often, it’s temporary solutions that provide only fleeting comfort. But as believers, we have something the world desperately needs to see – hope that transcends circumstances. Your response to difficulty matters more than you might realize. Someone is watching how you handle stress, disappointment, or pain. They’re wondering if your faith makes any real difference when life gets hard. This week, as we explore how Christians can suffer differently, remember that your response to hardship is actually a form of witness to the world around you.
Bible Verse:
“They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
– 1 Peter 4:4-5
Reflection Question:
When you think about the last difficult season you walked through, how did your response differ from how non-believers around you typically handle similar challenges?
Quote:
“We will all share in suffering, right? Peter has reminded us that Christians face sufferings. We know that yet to be Christians will face suffering. There is suffering in this sinful and fallen world. That’s an unavoidable reality of this sinful and fallen world.”
Prayer:
Lord, help me to accept that suffering is part of life in this fallen world, but also to remember that I don’t face it alone. Give me wisdom to respond to hardship in ways that honor You and point others to Your goodness. Amen.
Day 2: The Right Kind of Suffering
Devotional:
Not all suffering is created equal. Yesterday we acknowledged that hardship is inevitable, but today we need to examine why we suffer. There’s a significant difference between suffering because we’ve made poor choices and suffering because we’re living faithfully for Jesus in a world that rejects Him. When we face consequences for our own sinful decisions – whether it’s broken relationships from our selfishness, financial stress from poor stewardship, or health issues from neglecting our bodies – we can’t blame God for allowing these hardships. These are natural results of living outside His design for our lives. But there’s another kind of suffering that comes specifically from following Jesus. When we refuse to compromise our values, when we choose integrity over profit, when we love our enemies instead of seeking revenge, when we speak truth in love – these choices often bring opposition from a world that operates by different rules. This is the kind of suffering that has meaning and purpose. When we experience pushback for living according to God’s ways rather than the world’s patterns, we’re walking in the footsteps of Jesus Himself. He faced rejection, mockery, and ultimately death because He refused to conform to worldly expectations. The question isn’t whether we’ll suffer, but whether our suffering comes from righteousness or from our own poor choices. When we suffer for doing what’s right, we can find comfort knowing we’re sharing in Christ’s experience.
Bible Verse:
“There is a right way and a wrong way for a Christian to suffer, suffer in the will of Jesus, not because you’re just continuing to live out the ways of man.’”- 1 Peter 4:17-18
Reflection Question:
Can you identify areas in your life where you might be suffering consequences from your own choices rather than from living faithfully for Jesus?
Prayer:
Father, help me to examine my heart and see where my suffering might be self-inflicted. Give me courage to live according to Your ways, even when it brings opposition, and wisdom to learn from the consequences of my poor choices. Amen.
Day 3: Freedom from Sin’s Grip
Devotional:
One of the most encouraging truths about following Jesus is that sin no longer has the final say in our lives. While we still struggle with temptation and sometimes fall short, we’re no longer slaves to sin’s demands. Christ’s suffering in human flesh proved that sin’s grip, though tight, is not unbreakable. Think about areas where you feel most vulnerable to temptation. Maybe it’s anger that flares up in traffic, gossip that seems to slip out so easily, or patterns of worry that consume your thoughts. These struggles are real, but they don’t define you anymore. You have access to the same Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus throughout His earthly life. This same Spirit led Jesus through His own wilderness of suffering and temptation for forty days. The same Spirit that enabled Him to resist sin at every turn now lives within you. You’re not fighting these battles with willpower alone – you have divine help. This doesn’t mean the Christian life is easy or that we’ll never struggle with sin again. But it does mean we have real power to say no to temptation and yes to righteousness. When suffering comes, we don’t have to respond with the same bitterness, fear, or despair that characterizes the world around us. Instead, we can choose responses that reflect our new identity in Christ. We can forgive when we’ve been wronged, show patience when we’re frustrated, and maintain hope when circumstances look bleak. This freedom is both a gift and a responsibility.
Bible Verse:
“We have the very Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that descended on Christ like a dove at his baptism. We have the same Holy Spirit that led Jesus through the wilderness of his own 40 days of suffering in the wilderness, that led Jesus throughout the entirety of his life to not indulge in sin, but to turn from sin.” – Hebrews 5:7-8
Reflection Question:
In what specific area of your life do you most need to remember that you’re no longer a slave to sin but free to live for Christ?
Quote:
“We are no longer a slave to sin, but we are free to live for Christ Jesus.”
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank You for living within me and giving me power over sin. Help me to remember that I’m free to choose righteousness, especially when I’m facing difficult circumstances. Strengthen me to live in this freedom daily. Amen.
Day 4: Staying Alert in the Storm
Devotional:
When life gets difficult, our natural tendency is often to seek escape. We might turn to entertainment, social media, shopping, or other distractions to numb the pain or avoid dealing with hard realities. But during times of suffering, we actually need to be more alert and sober-minded than ever. Why? Because we’re most vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks when we’re hurting. Satan loves to whisper lies when we’re already down: “God doesn’t care about you,” “You’re all alone in this,” “Things will never get better,” or “You might as well give up.” When we’re distracted or numbed out, we’re less likely to recognize these lies for what they are. Staying alert doesn’t mean we can’t rest or find healthy ways to process our emotions. It means we need to be intentional about filling our minds with truth rather than temporary escapes. This is when we most need to lean into prayer, Scripture, and the support of our church community. Suffering has a way of isolating us, making us feel like no one understands what we’re going through. But this is precisely when we need to resist the urge to withdraw and instead draw closer to other believers. They can help us see clearly when our vision is clouded by pain, remind us of God’s faithfulness when our memory fails, and stand with us when we feel too weak to stand alone. The enemy wants to use our suffering to defeat us, but God wants to use it to strengthen our faith and deepen our dependence on Him.
Bible Verse:
“We must be fully alert, especially in our sufferings. And we must stand together as followers of Jesus, as his church, in our sufferings and with those who are suffering.” – 1 Peter 4:14
Reflection Question:
When you’re going through difficult times, what are your go-to distractions, and how might God be calling you to stay more alert and connected to your faith community instead?
Quote:
“We must be fully alert, especially in our sufferings. And we must stand together as followers of Jesus, as his church, in our sufferings and with those who are suffering.”
Prayer:
Lord, when suffering comes, help me to stay alert and sober-minded rather than seeking escape in temporary distractions. Surround me with fellow believers who can support me and help me see Your truth clearly. Amen.
Day 5: Suffering with Purpose
Devotional:
What if your hardest moments could become your most powerful testimony? When Christians respond to suffering in a Jesus-inspired way, something remarkable happens – we become living advertisements for the hope we have in Christ. Our otherworldly response to pain draws others to investigate what makes us different. God doesn’t waste our suffering. He uses it to train us in obedience, test and strengthen our perseverance, humble our pride, and teach us His ways. But perhaps most beautifully, He uses our suffering to prepare us to comfort others who will face similar trials. The comfort we receive from God in our darkest moments becomes a gift we can offer to others in theirs. Think about the people who have most impacted your faith. Chances are, many of them walked through significant hardships with grace and hope intact. Their response to suffering spoke louder than any sermon they could have preached. They showed you that faith in Jesus makes a real difference when life falls apart. This is the opportunity before you in every difficult season. When you choose forgiveness over bitterness, hope over despair, and trust over fear, you’re proclaiming the gospel without saying a word. You’re showing a watching world that there’s something different about following Jesus – something worth investigating. Your suffering isn’t meaningless. When you suffer in the will of Jesus, you can count it a blessing because you’re being associated with His name and ways. You’re joining the long line of faithful believers who have shown that Jesus is worth following, even when it’s costly.
Bible Verse:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. -2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Reflection Question:
How has God used past seasons of suffering in your life to prepare you to encourage others, and who might He be calling you to comfort with the comfort you’ve received?
Quote:
“If we live in other worldly Jesus inspired way, even in view of our suffering, that’s one of the most powerful, it’s one of the most visible ways that we can proclaim the name and way of Jesus.”
Prayer:
Father, help me to see my suffering through Your eyes – as an opportunity to grow in faith and to be a witness to others. Use my hardships to prepare me to comfort others and to show the world the hope that comes from knowing You. Amen.
Leave a Reply