I start a new “Because I Love You” series by telling the truth about suffering and why it belongs in the Christian walk. I walk through 1 Peter to show how trials can refine our faith, expose what we really believe, and teach us how to endure with love instead of self pity.
• launching the “Because I Love You” series and the two vantage points of love toward God and love from God
• defining suffering broadly as hardship rooted in the Fall while recognizing different levels of pain
• suffering as inevitable for Christians and why Scripture says not to be surprised
• the danger of believing “doing right” should prevent trials
• 1 Peter’s picture of faith refined like gold through fire
• a personal C-section story revealing entitlement and transactional thinking
• suffering as a way to build a track record of God’s faithfulness
• the role of discipline in resisting false comforts and self pity
• why we choose to suffer well as an act of love and devotion
• Jesus’ suffering as the foundation of our redemption and our courage

Be sure to check out the podcast notes or the show notes, either down below the video or um wherever it may be from whatever you're watching for scripture references, anything else we might throw in there.
Be sure to visit my website for more resources with today's episode, and I'll link the website right here as well.