How Do You Hold Onto Faith During Suffering?
The short answer: Holding onto faith during suffering is not about being strong enough. It is about being anchored to something stronger than your circumstances. First Peter 1 offers three anchors for hard seasons: remembering the bigger story you are part of, remembering the identity you carry as someone redeemed by Christ, and anchoring yourself to the Word of God, which does not wither when everything else does.
The book of 1 Peter was written to people in exactly that situation. Not theoretical suffering. Real suffering. Slander, social exclusion, forced compromise, the threat of imprisonment and death because of their faith in Jesus. Into that storm, Peter writes one of the most pastorally honest letters in the New Testament. He does not minimize what they are going through. He does not tell them to cheer up. He gives them three anchors.
This article is adapted from the sermon, Remember, preached by Dr. Scott Lehr at Southbridge Fellowship on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
1. remember the bigger story
When pain comes, our vision narrows. Suffering produces a kind of tunnel vision that shrinks the world down to the size of our hurt. Peter's first move is to pull the lens back. He reminds his readers in 1 Peter 1:10-12 that the salvation they have received is something the prophets searched for across centuries, and that even angels long to understand.
Your story is not just the chapter you are currently living. It is part of something far bigger than this moment. When in doubt, zoom out.
2. Remember Who you are
Suffering is one of the fastest ways to forget your identity. You start telling yourself stories about yourself that are not true. You are too broken. You are too far gone. You do not matter. Peter answers those stories directly. He tells his readers in 1 Peter 1:18-19 that they were not redeemed with perishable silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.
Something is worth what someone will pay for it. If the price paid for you was the blood of the Son of God, the question of whether you matter has already been answered.
3. anchor Yourself in something that does not wither
In 1 Peter 1:24-25, Peter quotes Isaiah 40. All people are like grass and all their glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall. But the Word of the Lord endures forever. Every temporary thing will eventually expire, including the pain that feels permanent right now.
The only thing that holds in real suffering is the Word of God. Not in a sentimental sense. In a structural sense. It is the anchor that keeps you from being pulled out to sea when the waves get high.
4. the anchor is his grip on you
Holding onto faith during suffering is not about being strong enough. It is about being anchored to something stronger than your circumstances. And the good news is that the anchor is not your grip on God. It is His grip on you.
Watch and Keep Reading
Watch or listen to the full sermon, Remember, preached by Dr. Scott Lehr at Southbridge Fellowship on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
Keep reading at Southbridge:
- How to Remember Who You Are When Life Makes You Forget — a closer look at how pain rewrites your sense of identity
- What to Do When You Feel Forgotten by God — four practices for when God feels silent
- What Does the Bible Say About Christian Identity? — the five truths behind who you are in Christ
Looking for a church community in Raleigh?
Southbridge Fellowship is a non-denominational church in North Raleigh that gathers every Sunday for genuine community, engaging worship, and biblical + practical teaching that connects to real life.
We are located at 12621 Strickland Rd., Raleigh, NC 27613. Plan your visit: