Suffering in Context

In Peter's first epistle he talks about a variety of things. One recurring theme is suffering. But look at the context of this text.

What credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. (1 Peter 2:20-21)

This is a bit of a shake up as it is. Peter says that one of the purposes for which we were called to follow Christ was to suffer for doing right. Not incidental. Not, "Well, this might happen." A purpose of God for us.

Now, of course, I always recommend examining context to understand a text better. What is the context?

He starts this section with "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution." (1 Peter 2:13) Oh, that might produce suffering, mightn't it? It gets more so in verse 18.

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. (1 Peter 2:18)

That, dear reader, is the immediate context of verses 20 and 21 -- obeying unreasonable masters. "You have been called for this purpose."

But wait! Keep reading! (Chapter breaks sometimes disrupt thought processes.)

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives. (1 Peter 3:1)

Do you see the echoes of the previous thought? Servants, submit to your masters ... who are unreasonable. Wives, submit to your husbands who ... are disobedient to the word. You were called for this purpose.

Peter here isn't saying, "Hey, want to have some fun? Let's all be masochists! Let's take beatings from bad government, submit to evil masters, and endure abuse from bad spouses." Not at all. He's saying that these things are not pleasant. He's saying that we should expect to give up our own comfort for Christ, whether it's in obedience to government or bad masters or bad spouses. He's saying there is a higher purpose to it, that God is at work here, that God has a purpose in these injustices. What purpose? It finds favor with God. We are learning to follow Christ who endured the same (1 Peter 2:21-24). We are transferring our rights and preferences to Christ and expect satisfaction from Him. And where does that leave us? That leaves us in the hands of the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). And that's very good.