Many are quick to fantasize about glory.  For those of such a mind, glory involves ticker tape parades, gold-colored Corvettes, being handed the keys to the city, and generally receiving the accolades of others.  But such ideas ought not to steal the focus of the believer, whose vocation is not to bring attention to himself but to glorify God.  In many cases, then, that vocation produces the opposite effect of the fanciful ideas mentioned above.

            Glorifying God often entails suffering.  In that regard, Peter observed:  “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:  on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  But let none of you suffer . . . as an evildoer.  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (I Pet.4:13-16).

            Bearing suffering and affliction patiently glorifies God.  The passage before us is far too complex and lengthy to do an explication of its meaning real justice in this brief space.  But for the sake of our theme, we will extract three recurring ideas from these verses (note the underlined words above).

            1.  Genuine glory belongs to God, not to man.  The believer who has as his objective self-glory has gone far-afield from the scriptural model of glory.  Peter utilizes the following phrases or clauses:  “his [Christ’s] glory,” “the spirit of glory [the word should be capitalized as the Holy Spirit],” “he [Christ] is glorified,” and “glorify God.”  The focus of the regenerate heart and mind are ever on God and are jealous that He be glorified.  It is interesting that Peter considers the terms the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God as virtually synonymous.  God is ever in the work of glorifying Himself, and when a believer truly glorifies the Lord through suffering, he evinces the fact that He is being led by the Spirit of God, whose work it is to lift up the Trinity and, in particular, Christ (John 16:14).

            2.  God frequently uses suffering in the life of a believer to bring glory to Himself.  Peter conveys this idea through various words, such as, “fiery trial,” “partakers of Christ’s sufferings,” “reproached for the name of Christ,” and “suffer as a Christian.”  He adds the caveat that we ought not to suffer “as an evildoer.”  In other words, we do not honor God when our suffering is actually God’s chastening for our sin.  But when a faithful testimony or a faithful walk results in reproach, or worse, and we bear it without feeling “ashamed,” then God is truly honored.

            3.  Joy is both the vocation and the vindication of the one who suffers righteously.  Peter sounds like Paul—both had known a wonderful Savior, had lived lives filled with suffering, and had experienced the joy that such faithful suffering produces.  Peter exhorts believers to “rejoice” when they are called upon to share in Christ’s sufferings.  Such people are “happy” (i.e., “blessed”) because they are sharing in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings (cf. Phil. 3:10).  And given the privilege of sharing in that experience, Peter pronounces that believers “may be glad also with exceeding joy” when Christ is finally revealed in glory.

            God’s glory, believers’ suffering, and believers’ joy go hand-in-hand. Nothing less than joyful suffering fully glorifies God, and nothing less fully blesses the believer.