Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and bestselling author Paul David Tripp connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

If you could design your perfect week, where everything goes exactly as planned, chances are it wouldn't include suffering.

But what if suffering isn't a detour, but part of the path God intends? In today's episode, we continue our sermon series

from the archives, elect exiles from First Peter. In this message, Paul explains why suffering

is the new normal for believers and outlines six biblical ways to respond when hardship comes.

To hear more sermons from Paul, visit paultrip.com slash sermons.

Now here's Paul Tripp teaching from 1st Peter.

Well, I guess it's always dangerous to speak for somebody else,

but I imagine that you're like me.

If I could design my normal week, the weeks that I would like to repeat again and again and again, it would have no suffering.

In fact, it would have no difficulty of any kind.

Nothing would be in my way.

No one would disagree with me.

Everyone would applaud my presence.

My ideas would always rule the day i would have an incessant smile on my face a body that was completely healthy a stomach that was full a mind that was full, a mind that was entertained.

I can tell by the smiles on your faces.

You are not unlike me.

I think perhaps this passage that I'm about to work through with you is as radical as

Christianity gets.

I think it may be the most important summary of what God is doing in us and through us that we find in this letter.

I said to you when we began chapter four that you ought to begin to feel the crescendo of this

letter, you should hear the timpany begin to roll. You should begin to hear a little

...