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How do we rejoice in suffering?I Pet. 4: 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.Jesus said to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when you were persecuted falsely for His name's sake in Matt. 5:12. sake and Peter here echos that sentiment. It is easy to say that but hard to go through it. Peter is saying in the previous verse don’t suffer for sin but if you suffer as a Christian, be glad.Why would you be glad when you suffer? Because that is when the glory of God is revealed in our lives the most. It shows we are busy with the Lord and can endure suffering. Our suffering may show others that our relationship with Christ is real. It is proof that our faith works and is needed by those who don’t have it.God does not mean for us to suffer alone. When we suffer, He gives special grace and an awareness of His presence in our lives. We glory in who God is and what He is doing through this experience. If we are bitter and mad at God, we paint ourselves in a corner. If we trust God to do whatever is best through what we suffer, it is a time to really grow and witness to others.The outcome of suffering also brings about a special awareness to those going through what we have suffered. God is a God of restoration and He never wastes suffering on anyone. We can say whatever God’s design in our lives; we trust Him to accomplish His will through us in suffering, even though we may not know what it is at the time.Peter was trying to prepare Christians for what would happen when the Roman government started persecuting them. May we be prepared for God to get glory through all we suffer, knowing that our light affliction worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory II Cor. 4: 17.--- Dan Nelson