1 Peter 1:3-9
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
~Father we bless you and praise you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for saving us through Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and appearance. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of you today, in Jesus’ name. Amen.~
“6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
The current world crisis is definitely causing various trials!
Let’s break this down a bit.
It is pretty incredible that we have been saved by a merciful and good God. We have also been given an inheritance, one we cannot fully even imagine right now. Our inheritance is everlasting! Eternal. It will never go away.
Verse 6 says, “in this you greatly rejoice…” It is important each day to remember the truth of these gifts as we engage with others in our individual contexts. This verse is basically telling us that we will have various trials! This is not new information, right?! Many of us have trials in various areas of our lives, whether it be in our homes, our families, our workplaces, church gatherings, neighborhoods, and more. So what should we do?
This idea of distressed shows that we, as individuals, are impacted by the trials around us. Emotionally, perhaps physically, and even spiritually, something causes us abnormal stress. Peter is conveying that even in the midst of this stress, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and “rejoice.”
I don’t know about you, but when I am sad, grieved, offended, uneasy, or sorrowful, I struggle to muster up the courage to “rejoice,” let alone to “greatly rejoice.”
But, I will tell you that when I do make myself do this, the burden of the situation begins to lift. As if skies are parting and a ray of sunshine is seeping into the recesses of my mind beckoning me to proclaim the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living!
Trials are not something we typically ask for more of. Yet “various trials” are actually divinely permitted in order to test or prove our character. Have you ever considered that trials are like gifts from the Lord? As you grow, your trials and challenges change. These trials change because you change.
If you think about it, it is actually quite encouraging.
Are you wondering if I have lost my mind yet?
Perhaps…but in a good way. Romans 12: 1-2 says our minds are to be “renewed,” so I am okay with losing my own mind, in order for more of His thoughts to become my own.
How about you?
I encourage you today, thank the Lord for your current trials. Seek Him with all of your heart and ask Him to reveal the ways He is calling you higher—challenging you to take a greater step of faith. Proving your character is being conformed to His likeness. As you do this, I can testify that you will begin to see others with new eyes, and love will grow in unexpected ways.
We are one body, in Christ Jesus, which means we are with you!
Father, I thank you for the one reading this post today. I pray you help each of us to meditate on the truths in this passage, lead us in Your everlasting way.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen