In this letter, Peter focuses on how to respond to suffering as a Christian. He says it is an opportunity to share in Christ's sufferings. Peter was originally given an opportunity to be present with Christ during His physical sufferings. In Gethsemane, Jesus asked Peter (and two other disciples) to watch and pray while He was in anguish over the upcoming events. Peter kept falling asleep. Later in the courtyard, while Jesus is being beaten, Peter denies Christ three times. In this letter, Peter relives those moments and tells the young church that when they suffer for their faith, they are sharing Christ's sufferings. Peter is telling them to hold on in the exact same issue that he struggled with in his early faith.

To suffer with Christ means we surrender our pains to Him. Since we are His body, Christ will bear your pain for you and with you.

Ultimately, Christ understands all of our pain. Some of the pain He physically suffered on this plane of existence. Other pains, He feels through the collective pains of the church. So our question should not be where is God when you hurt but rather where are you when God hurts?

We know well will experience ultimate healing in a Resurrection. So when we are healed, we will be glad and shout for joy for He will be glorified through us. Yet, while we do suffer now, we can see this as an invitation for communion with Christ; to know Him...to even understand His heart and love.