1 Peter - Following Jesus Sample

Suffering is very hard to understand and very hard to live with. The Bible doesn’t answer all our questions about suffering. There is much we do not know now. But we can be sure of this: God has not abandoned us. In fact, God promises to be at work for our good even in the midst of trials.

• Why have these trials come (v. 7)?

Trials show up what we really believe. Peter pictures our faith as being like gold and our sufferings as being like fire. Fire does not destroy gold, if it’s real gold. And trials will not destroy our faith in Jesus, if it is genuine. If we keep on trusting Jesus when things are tough, it shows that our faith in him is real.

Fire does something else to gold too. It burns away all the impurities, leaving just the precious metal. Put gold in fire and, in the end, all you will have is pure gold.

In a similar way, God can use our difficulties to strengthen and purify our faith in him. When we lose other things, it can help us rely on Jesus more. Trials can help us see that our only real security lies in Jesus. They can help us cling to Jesus even more closely. Perhaps you know the reality of that yourself?

Of course, we do need to respond to trials in the right way. We need to run towards God for help and not away from him. When the heat is on, we need to ask God to help us do that.

Gold is precious but our faith in Jesus is far more valuable. Our faith is the means God uses to keep us safe until he takes us home on the last day. The yellow metal we put in bank vaults now will not last into eternity. But our relationship with Christ will be precious forever. Nothing is more important. Peter wants us to look at our trials from the perspective of eternity.

• What will the good result of all this be on the last day?

On that day, it won’t be gold which is shining gloriously. Jesus will be seen as he really is. He will be glorified. Our faith in him will be part of that.

Pray

Ask God to strengthen and refine your faith in him when you encounter trials.