“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” 1 Peter 4:12-13.

Surprises, painful surprises, can come in many ways: a medical test that gives you unexpected bad news; betrayal by someone you loved and who you thought loved you. As bad as the pain can be, it’s always made worse by the element of surprise.

Many of us are surprised about suffering because we often have an oversimplified view of the Christian life. We know there are two sides – God, who is good; and Satan, who is bad. But often, we automatically put everything that feels good in the box with God and everything that feels bad in the box with Satan. But life is not so simple. We cannot use our feelings to decide what is in God’s box or Satan’s box. Sometimes, walking with God can be challenging and hard. And following Satan can appear to bring great rewards. Job, who is righteous yet suffering, illustrates this when he asked God, “why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?”.

Have you ever watched a hungry lion? It’s awesome because you know it can catch and eat just about anything it wants. Peter says that Satan is prowling around in the same way. When we look around, we can see the consequences of his desire to kill. Death, suffering and the twisting and perverting of morals and values are everywhere. We cannot escape seeing the work of Satan.

Peter writes these words in the context of responding to Satan’s attacks on Christian faith. But as we have mentioned, Satan is at work in many different ways. And although we must be aware of the reality and power of our enemy, we must never be discouraged. For we must always remember that Jesus has beaten Satan; that Satan is a defeated foe, and that as long as we cling to him in faith, we can never be defeated either. Because of the cross, Christ victory is our victory.

Everything we do has a consequence. If you stand in the hot sun with ice cream, it will certainly melt. Cause and effect always go together. And no matter how desperately we may want things to be different, it is the same with sin. It always reaps consequences.