1 Peter 1:6, 7 - Problems Prepare You for Eternity.
1 Peter 1:6, 7 (NLT) So be truly glad! There
is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is
necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7
These trials are only to test your faith, to show
that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as
fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is
far more precious to God than mere gold. So if
your faith remains strong after being tried by
fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and
glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is
revealed to the whole world.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Life is not a series of random, freak
accidents. Life is not totally unplanned. Life is not
without meaning. God knows whats going on.
God is weaving the tapestry of your life,
and it includes light and dark threads - happy
and sad times - to produce richness and texture
and color. Nothing can come into the life of a
child of God without Gods permission.
Everything is Father filtered.
Dont misunderstand me. Im not
saying that everything that happens to you in life
is Gods perfect will. Thats just not
true. There are a lot of things that are not
Gods will. If you go out and sin, thats not
Gods will. If somebody sins against you, thats
not Gods perfect will.
But God does have a permissive will. If I
go out and overeat, I pay the consequences. If
I go out and wreck my body, I pay the
consequences. God does not cause evil, and God does not
cause suffering. But he does allow those things
because they have a purpose. God permits them, and
then he uses them.
God is an expert at bringing good out of
bad. He could have kept Paul out of prison in
Philippi, but instead he let Paul go to prison, and
the jailer became a believer as a result. God
could have kept Jesus from the cross, but he let
him go. He let his own Son suffer and die. Did
God bring any good out of that? Id say he
did!
God loves to turn crucifixions into
resurrections. The things you most wish were removed from
your life are often the very things that God uses
to shape you and make you into the believer he
wants you to be. He wants to use that problem for
good in your life. Theres something more
important than your pain: what youre learning from
that pain. God is in control.
So how can we respond to painful or
difficulty situations? The apostle Paul says, Never
give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits
are being renewed every day. For our present
troubles are small and wont last very long. Yet
they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs
them and will last forever! (2 Corinthians
4:16-17 NLT). [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
INTRODUCTION
This May Hurt A Little
Few things are more frustrating than
buying" quality" merchandise that falls apart as
soon as you take it out of the box. Then you look
inside the box and find a small slip of paper that
reads: "Inspected by Number 45." Apparently, your
merchandise had not been inspected closely enough. A few
seconds of mild abuse by Number 45 probably would
have shown this merchandise for what it was, and
spared you the disappointment.
In Peter's first letter, he warns and
encourages us about disappointments - how we can
approach them, live through them, and be strengthened
by them. They are tests or, if you will,
inspections of God's merchandise - us.
Notice also in this passage a living
hope, hints at what angels long to see, and the
high standards for those whose faith has been
tested and strengthened.
Peter wrote of suffering several times in
this letter (1 Peter 1:6-7; 3:13-17; 4:12-19;
5:9). His readers needed this discussion of trials
because non-Christians misunderstood, harassed, and
even physically abused Christians. Some of the
opposition came from government officials, some from
non-Christian individuals, and some from family members.
To those abused and aching Christians, Peter
wrote: "Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy
ahead, even though you have to endure many trials
for a little while" (1:6).
Christians are not of this world - our
goals, values, and allegiance contrast and clash
with society's. Thus, eventually, all believers
will face trials of rejection because of their
choice to follow Christ.
Accept rejection and suffering for your
faith as a test. God will purify and refine you
through your trials. [The One Year Through the Bible
Devotional by Dave Veerman]
COMMENTARY
The fact that we are called upon to
endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us
something precious which He desires to develop. If He
saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His
name, He would not spend time in refining us. He
does not cast worthless stones into His furnace.
It is valuable ore that He refines. The
blacksmith puts the iron and steel into the fire that
he may know what manner of metal they are. The
Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the
furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are
of and whether they can be fashioned for His
work.
The potter takes the clay and molds it
according to his will. He kneads it and works it. He
tears it apart and presses it together. He wets it
and then dries it. He lets it lie for a while
without touching it. When it is perfectly pliable,
he continues the work of making of it a vessel.
He forms it into shape and on the wheel trims
and polishes it. He dries it in the sun and
bakes it in the oven. Thus it becomes a vessel fit
for use. So the great Master Worker desires to
mold and fashion us. And as the clay is in the
hands of the potter, so are we to be in His hands.
We are not to try to do the work of the potter.
Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by
the Master Worker. MH471, 2
Faith is perhaps the most central element
in the Christian life because it is the means
by which we enter into salvation. But thats
only the beginning. From then onward, our faith -
or lack of it - shapes our lives and determines
what happens to us when the winds of adversity
blow. Some Christians never lose their footing
even in hurricane-force winds, but others are
toppled by the slightest gust. To understand why
this is true, we need to examine the source of
our faith.
Inherited faith: If you grew up in a
Christian home, you probably adopted some of the
beliefs of your parents. This kind of godly
foundation is a wonderful gift from the Lord, but
eventually, each person must assume responsibility for
his own beliefs.
Textbook faith: The Bible is the ultimate
guide for establishing our beliefs. But thats
not the only source of influence. Books,
preachers, teachers, and friends all impact our
convictions. Our theology may in fact be sound, but faith
is merely mental acceptance until its put to
the test.
Proven Faith: Only when we trust the Lord
through the fires of adversity will we have faith
that can stand. It is no longer based on what
others have told us or what weve accepted as
true but on our firsthand experience of His
faithfulness.
To evaluate your faith, consider how you
react to adversity. Do you cling to the Lord or
get angry at Him? Is your attitude one of
rejoicing because Hes making you more like His Son,
or are you bitter? No one can escape adversity,
but those with proven faith will benefit from
it. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles
Stanley at www.intouch.org]
God is always at work in our lives. Even
during seasons of adversity, He wants to accomplish
something powerful and good. How should this knowledge
affect our response? Today's passage teaches us to
choose to rejoice during difficult times. This
doesn't mean we have to be happy about the hardship
itself. Instead, joy comes from drawing close to the
Lord and believing steadfastly that through His
redemptive power, He is growing and preparing us. If
your usual response to trials is anxiety, anger,
or depression, the idea of having joy in the
midst of a negative situation might not seem
logical. However, if you look beneath the surface,
you will discover that this biblical directive
makes sense for several reasons.
Often, our natural reaction to pain is to
run in the opposite direction, and as fast as
possible. However, God wants to teach us endurance -
much like a long-distance runner builds up
strength in training - so that we can fully benefit
from what He is doing in our hearts. He uses
trials as a refining fire to purify us like gold
and bring us to greater spiritual maturity. As
we realize that we are actually being made more
complete through our adversities, we'll begin to face
challenging times with confidence that He always has our
best interest in mind.
While a worldly viewpoint sees hope and
joy in the midst of dark times as nave, a
spiritual perspective discerns that we're really
progressing on a journey toward life at its fullest. We
can be filled with supernatural joy, knowing
that the Lord is making us into world-changing
spiritual warriors. [In Touch Daily Devotional by
Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org]
God knows when we face horrendous
situations. He hears our cries. Even those who maintain
the closest fellowship with Him are not immune
to feelings of hopelessness.
Many times God allows us to face hopeless
circumstances in order to test and try our faith; it is
the hopelessness that forces us to seek God, and
it is there that we find strength and
refreshment.
Does God care that your trials make you
weary? Yes, and He knows every emotion, need, and
desire you have. He also knows exactly what it will
take to bring you into a more intimate
relationship with Him.
The apostle Peter addressed his two
letters to those who reside as aliens, scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia (1 Pet. 1:1; 2 Pet. 3:1). If he were
choosing a modern title for his letters, he might
consider Encouragement For Times of
Hopelessness, or Hope For The Hurting, because
encouragement and hope is exactly what Peter conveyed to
these hurting believers.
These believers faced all kinds of
persecution. They were beaten, slandered, assaulted, and
in some cases would lose their lives for their
faith in Jesus Christ. Peter called them
aliens because they held a citizenship not of this
world but of the kingdom of God. Still, they faced
times of discouragement and needed hope. Peter
explained that they could rejoice even in times of
trial because of Jesus Christ, the living hope
within them - their risen Savior and Lord (1 Pet.
1:3). Jesus protected them by the power of God (v.
5).
So long as we have Jesus, no situation is
hopeless.
Would you like to enjoy an eternal hope?
Then focus your heart on Jesus (1 Tim. 4:6).
Remember, He is working to bring His will and good
pleasure to the forefront of your life.
Even if you find yourself in a seemingly
hopeless situation, know that God has an entirely
different view of the details. If you will let Him, He
will take your life, no matter how bruised and
broken, and make something beautiful out of it.
Isnt this what hope is all about -
beauty for ashes, gladness instead of sorrow, and a
coat of praise instead of fainting (Is.
61:1"3)? This is the ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ
in your life. Therefore bring to Him your
afflictions and disappointments. Tell Him your sorrows,
and He will restore your hope.
Remember:
Adversity is a bridge to a deeper
relationship with God.
The dark moments in our life will
last only so long as is necessary for God to
accomplish His purpose in us. [Life Principles SB By
Charles Stanley]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Abraham had to wait decades for God to
fulfill his promise of a son. God often makes us
wait for the things he has promised so that our
faith builds in the waiting. The prophet Habakkuk
got a vision from God about the future, and he
had to wait for its fulfillment. God said, "It
might take a while. But wait for it. You can be
sure it will come. It will happen when I want it
to" (Habakkuk 2:3 NIrV).
If you have a picture of where you want
to be when you reach your goals, don't give up
in the face of difficulties and delays. These
occur to prove your faith, to teach you to rely on
God, and to motivate you to trust God's
timetable. Proven faith is far more precious than gold.
Are you waiting for God to act? If you're
doing everything you need to do, then you can
relax and wait with confidence.
Wait patiently for God's answer; your
victory comes from him (Psa. 62:1). [The Daniel Plan
365-Day Devotional]
Somewhere after my first decade in my
wheelchair, I was gratified by the changes in my life.
All things were working together for my good and
God's glory - it didn't mean being an author or
speaker; it meant being like Christ. Hardships were
forcing me to make decisions about God - my faith
was becoming more muscular. Suffering was doing
a job on my character - I was able to stick to
promises, not be sloppy in relationships, quit
whining, and be more patient. My thoughts were being
jerked right side up - I couldn't reach for the
common temptations like before (having no hands
helped with that). Also...
Suffering was making me more sensitive to
others - I couldn't have cared less about people
like me before my accident, but now it was a
different story. Being paralyzed was making heaven
come alive - not in a cop-out way, but in a way
that made me want to live better here on earth
because greater things were coming in the next
life.
A checklist like this sounds dry and
technical, but years ago, it helped answer - at least
in part - that sticky question, "Why does God
pile on hardships so high?" Well - hey! - God is
more concerned with conforming us to the likeness
of his Son than leaving us in our comfort
zones. God is more interested in inward qualities
than outward circumstances. Today, look for the
"reasons" God has for your hardship. When you find
them, you will "leave the elementary teachings
about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews
6:1).
Lord, you are the one who holds all the
reasons in your hands. I can trust you with every
reason! [Joni Eareckson Tada Daily Devotional:
http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional]
CLOSING THOUGHT
You need more than positive thinking to
survive in this world. You need hope.
And lasting hope is possible because God
is preparing you for eternity.
God is using everything in your life -
the good, the bad, and the ugly - to get you
ready. When you understand this, life begins to
make sense. You stop asking, Lord, why is this
happening? because you know why.
The Bible says, Be truly glad. There
is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must
endure many trials for a little while. These trials
will show that your faith is genuine. It is being
tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though
your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
So when your faith remains strong through many
trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and
honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to
the whole world (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT).
Those verses describe several truths that
are the same today as they were in Peters
day.
Problems are temporary. They wont last
forever. But God is using those trials for his
purposes.
Problems are necessary. They are an
indispensable part of preparing you for heaven.
Problems are varied. Youll experience
trials of all different shapes, sizes, and levels
of intensity.
Problems test your faith. You build
muscles by testing them. The same is true with your
faith.
Problems purify your motives. God is much
more interested in your character than your
comfort. Hell use trials to refine your
character.
Problems prepare you for your rewards.
The trials youre going through now dont
compare to the rewards of heaven.
No doubt, the troubles youre
experiencing now arent fun. But the Bible makes it
clear they can result in something good. Theyll
make your faith stronger.
Thats why you can have hope no matter
whats going on in your life right now. [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I have done great things for you, so let
Me fill you with Joy. Take ample time to ponder
all I have done for you. Rejoice in My goodness
and My greatness as you remember My marvelous
deeds. Rest in My intimate Presence; relax in My
everlasting arms. I long to fill you with Joy, but you
must collaborate with Me in this process.
Do not be like a spoiled child on
Christmas Day - hastily tearing open all the presents
and then saying, "Is that all?" Every single day
is a precious gift from Me! Search for Me
within the boundaries of this day, and you will
surely find Me. I am present not only in pleasant
things but also in unwanted circumstances. My Joy
is sufficient for all situations, and I adjust
it according to your need. When things are
going your way, My gladness intensifies your
delight. When you encounter hard things, I give you a
deep, bold Joy that clings to Me for help.
Receiving My Joy requires not only time but also
courage. (Psa. 126:3; Deu. 33:27; Jer. 29:13; 1Pe.
1:6-8) [Jesus Today by Sarah Young]
You can find Joy in the most unexpected
places. However, this requires effort: searching for
the good and refusing to let your natural
responses blind you to what is there. I will help you
respond in a supernatural way, giving you eyes that
see beyond the obvious and discover treasure
hidden in your troubles. Simply ask Me.
Living joyously is a choice. Since you
inhabit such a sinful, broken world, you must choose
gladness many times daily. This is especially true
during difficult times. When something happens that
breaks the pattern of comfort and happiness in your
life, you are being put to the test. Such trials
can both prove and strengthen your faith, which
is much more precious than gold. I am training
you to consider it pure Joy whenever you face
trials of many kinds.
I made the agonizing choice to endure the
cross for the Joy set before Me - the eternal
pleasure of bringing My followers to Glory. Choose
Joy, beloved, by fixing your eyes on Me and
looking for treasures in your trials. (1Pe.1:6, 7;
Jam. 1:2; Heb. 12:2; 2:10) [Jesus Always by Sarah
Young]
Believing in Me has many beneficial
effects - including Joy that is inexpressible and
filled with Glory! If something is inexpressible,
it is too great and wondrous to be described.
But it can be experienced. So come into My
Presence expectantly; open wide your heart to Me. The
Joy you can have in Me is triumphant and filled
with heaven's Glory. I triumphed over sin and
death once for all time! This opens up the way to
heaven for all who believe in Me.
No matter how many difficulties you face,
the outcome of your faith - the salvation of
your soul - is secure. This is true for all who
really trust Me as Savior-God. As you rejoice in
your glorious heavenly future, let your light
shine before other people. My Spirit, the Spirit
of truth, will help you speak truth into
others' lives. Align yourself with Me, for I came
into the world to testify to the truth. Join Me
in this quest so that people living in darkness
can find Me and walk in My great Light. [Jesus
Always by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
1 Peter 1:6, 7 - Joy in Trials.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140513-2116.html
Acts 14:22b - Tribulation for Entrance to
the Kingdom.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150624-2038.html
James 1:2 - Troubles Are Opportunities for
Great Joy.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200703-0840.html
2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 - God of All Comfort.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160709-2049.html
Psalm 34:18-19 - The Blessings of Adversity.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20120220-2245.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
