Finding Hope in Suffering: Lessons from 1 Peter and the Power of Submission

In this week’s Sermon Notes Podcast, Jay Strother and Brian Ball walk through 1 Peter 2:18–25 and explore what it means to find hope when suffering is real and circumstances are unjust. Peter’s instruction on submission can feel challenging, especially when authority is imperfect, but the passage reframes submission as an act of reverence toward God rather than fear of people. It is not about inferiority or enabling abuse. It is about surrendering our impulses for control and entrusting ourselves to the Lord’s higher authority, even when we cannot choose our circumstances.

From there, Peter turns our eyes to Jesus. Christ suffered without sin, without retaliation, and without losing sight of the Father’s justice. Jay and Brian reflect on how that example becomes both comfort and direction: we are called to follow in His steps, not because pain is good, but because God uses suffering to shape our character, deepen our dependence, and put the gospel on display through our lives. Even in hardship, believers are saved from sin and saved to righteousness, living in a way that points others to Christ.

The episode closes with a reminder that our hope is personal. Jesus is not distant from our pain. He bore our sins, carried our wounds, and now shepherds His people with care, correction, and peace. When we wander, He brings us back. When we feel crushed, He sustains us. And when we endure, our lives can quietly testify that the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls is trustworthy.