Lessons Learned in Suffering; 1 Peter 2:19-25

There are movies we've watched so often that certain lines have burned themselves into our memory and found their way into everyday conversation. So, for a number of you reading this, all I have to write is, "Tis but a scratch!" and, well . . . if you know, you know! As a kid, watching the Black Knight suffer injury after injury, losing limb after limb, all the while maintaining that he's "had worse," was hilarious. As an adult, though, I've seen too many times when friends in horrible circumstances have minimized their pain, downplayed their suffering, and feigned, "Tis but a scratch," while their hearts were breaking. What is it in us that causes us to trivialize our travails? Why do we struggle to admit when we're hurting? It only prevents us from allowing others to bless and help us through our pains. Peter reminds us that pain is universal—we all experience it. He also calls us to see that there are lessons in our pain, lessons that draw us closer to God and closer to each other. In 1 Peter 2:19-25, we hear Peter's pain prescription and find the grace to endure together. Oh, and "Alright . . . we'll call it a draw."