The first part of chapter 4 talks of suffering and giving up all the worldly things that seem normal. In our relationship with Christ, we are told that we will give up our own desires. I have wrestled with God a lot and for a long time on that. I grow closer and my relationship deepens, yet I like stuff, I plan for better stuff and I get caught up in looking in stores and being tempted by commercials (which is exactly their job). The push and pull of that goes on for a bit until I come to my senses and realize that stuff brings a bondage with it. If you borrow to have it = bondage. If it requires insurance and maintenance = bondage. If it requires trimming and mowing and fertilizing = bondage. Not to consider that, then most of your focus and effort is not on God and living life well. In Him there is only freedom and that is the trade off.
Not only that but we have to give up partying, lust, immorality and such. Looking back, such things are seldom missed because the way of God and following Christ is so much better. After a men's retreat weekend one could have a spiritual hangover which is far better than an alcohol induced one.
Of course your "good friends" will call you all kinds of names for not behaving if such foolish ways and for that you will be persecuted and mocked. So be it, again worth the trade.
We are all given gifts and they are given to be used for His Kingdom work. God is so gracious and generous that He allows you to use those gifts for other areas of your life, like our careers. Things become muttled when we forget our skills and talents are gifts from Him and for Him. We get into problems thinking we developed them, we brought them about in ourselves and they are for our own selfish ambition. Our talents are like tools. Let's say the God (the boss) gives you a laptop to use to help get the work done He has assigned you. He tells you to use that tool to accomplish things for His business. He also tells you it is okay to use it for your personal things too. If you want to keeps pictures of the kids on it, if you want to stay up with you personal emails etc. Isn't that easy to understand?
The difficulty happens when we think the gifts, skills and talents (or tools) are ours, earned by us and for us to use to enrich ourselves and build our kingdom bigger and better. With that attitude, we find ourselves feeling pretty good about using these gifts on Sunday or in a church planning meeting or serving at a shelter once a year. We might sit back and look at the great things we have done. That scenario is backwards.
The other part of this chapter talks of suffering for Christ. It mentions trials, being insulted and so on. Might I offer for your consideration, that giving up the things of the world that we have been taught everyone strives for and we deserve and should want is suffering too? It is like going through withdrawl. The worlds, the advertisers, the Jones' all make it as hard as possible to give up that kind of thinking. It is hard and it can be frustrating. It is a battle of flesh and spirit. It is a battle of whom we know deep inside should win. In a sense we wrestle until we lose. We wrestle until God and our spirit get on the same page and it can be one of the hardest things we do.
It is SO worth it! As I said earlier, when I went through the downturn in my income, I thought all was lost. In reality, all was found. I am experiencing a freedom I never understood and God is SO GOOD! It is hard to put into words, well, at least a short version that will not eat all the memory of your computer. Trust and believe.
! Peter 4:19 NLT So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to God who created you, for He will never fail you".
NEVER EVER.