1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
So 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.
Why is this trial any different than any other challenge we face?
Look at these verses…
”There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”
With every challenge we face, our faith is tested. Is our hope in God above, or do we experience despair because of what we see in front of us?
The question that is always being asked is…
Is my faith genuine?
Every trial and challenge we face is testing our faith.
But look at the promise, ”when your faith remains strong” it will bring ”praise”, ”glory,” and ”honor.”
When?
”On the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
This is delayed gratification.
Something so far from what the culture of this world would tell us is right.
We want what we want, and we want it NOW.
We want things to go back to what we were used to, what we were comfortable with—the good old days.
The is no growth in the good old days.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 NLT
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.
Our Pastor often says, ”Jesus takes us as we are BUT loves us too much to allow us to stay there.”
Every trial is an opportunity for us to grow in our faith.
When this happens, we end up with two choices:
1. To stay where we are. This is a guarantee to continue to live the challenge or trial over and over again.
This is marked with this type of statement, ”Why does this always happen to me?”
It continues to happen that God will present the challenges until you pass the test.
So pay attention to the trials that repeat themselves repeatedly; this is God attempting to teach us, to get us to grow in our faith.
2. We submit our will to God; we stop fighting against the trial and ask God with a willingly submitted heart what WE need to change to learn from this trial.
GOD loves us enough that He gives us a choice, and all He wants is our willing submitted hearts.
But with this, we get a joy that is outside of what we can experience in our power.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the trials I face.
Give me the willingness to submit to Your will, understanding that the challenges I face are there to help me grow closer to You and to help provide hope to those around me.
I love the You, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
