In the last few weeks, it seems that almost everyone I love has experienced something life-altering, and in the shift, has been left in confusion. Some of my closest loved ones have received devastating diagnoses, while others have been given opportunities that are grand and amazing. But in both circumstances, the whirlwind of change has allowed confusion and, in some cases, worry, to set in.  
 
As I have tried to comfort or encourage my loved ones, I quickly realized that my mortal mind was never going to be able to formulate the response they needed. I was called to rely on biblical wisdom.

I was led to 1 Peter 4, which tells us, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
 
We live in a broken world that we cannot control. Scripture ensures us that we will face seasons of darkness, sadness, heartbreak, and change. This verse tells us that we should rejoice as we participate in suffering.

I like how 1 Peter gives us an action to perform - “participate.” We are not just to suffer through trials mindlessly. We are to intentionally engage with the big changes in our lives in a way that glorifies God. 
 
As you read this, you may be walking through a season that is incredibly disheartening, or a season of good changes that still intimidates you. Or maybe you are somewhere in the middle. In whatever seasons you find yourself, I want to remind you that 1 Peter 4 promises that if we seek God’s glory amid suffering and confusion, we will find ourselves overjoyed. 

Written by Audra Beaty, associate director of digital marketing for Buckner International.