I’M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY PEOPLE ARGUE SO VEHEMENTLY IN FAVOR OF SUFFERING. THEY CITE THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURE:
1 Peter 4:1 KJV
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

WHEN PUSHED TO THE LIMIT TO ACCEPT A FRIEND’S THEOLOGY RE. SUFFERING, I GOT TO DOING SOME DEEP SOUL-SEARCHING IN ORDER TO RE-EVALUATE THE TOPIC IN MY OWN LIFE. HERE’S WHAT I FOUND:

Okay, whenever I learned anything new about God that usurped my former understanding, I suffered. I suffered by reading copious volumes on the subject. I suffered when I felt overwhelmingly compelled to give up some of my long-standing notions. There was intense mental suffering because I was absolutely committed to getting it right before I try to tell anyone else what I had encountered. Yes, I suffered. If that’s what you mean by suffering then yes I suffered. But when I got ahold of the undeniable fact that Jesus didn’t take off before his mission was entirely finished – every fathomable aspect of it – forever finished, then that was the end of my agony and suffering. I can’t imagine doing anything … anything at all … that would grieve my Papa. He is everything to me – my very life! I know I don’t need to suffer anymore for Him or myself because it wasn’t the suffering that brought me to Him: that was my own obstinacy. But now I know how to listen to Him, and you know what? He’s always ready to talk to me anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Sin and suffering have become a distant memory to me and resting in his finished work is my constant companion.