Tag Archives: 1 Peter 1:7

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Embrace the Trial – Part 7

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Understanding the “What” Question – “Embracing‘What’ God Desires”

The “Who” question leads us to the “What” question. Understanding more of Who God is brings us to the place of seeing our trial through the lens of Scripture from God’s perspective. From His vantage point we can begin to see what He desires—what He desires us to do.

Looking back on the days immediately following my Emergency Room visit, I lay in bed trying to come to grips with what exactly was taking place. During those first few days the Lord was challenging me to embrace the ministry of this trial. This tends to be a foreign concept in the way that we naturally think. The reality is that these custom designed trials are meant to impact far more than just the one it was specifically designed for. God seeks to use our personal trials in the lives of others as we seek to be used of God to minister to them. Consider Paul’s words to the saints at Corinth when he writes,

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”—2 Corinthians 1:3-4

A ministry to others?! I admit that in the throws of a trial this can be quite a challenge to wrap our minds around but I have found that there is a tremendous blessing in embracing the ministry of this trial. The Lord has given me a hope beyond simply enduring this trial—just trying to make it to the end. The reality is that, what if there is no end? What if these health struggles are God’s providential path for me to walk for the duration of my life? Simply enduring this trial would be unbearably frustrating and discouraging. I am convinced that God’s desire is NOT that we endure our trials but truly embrace them for our best and for His glory. To simply endure a trial is resignation to a never-ending reality while embracing the trial sees the value of the trial.

To simply endure the trial takes on a mindset that this is being done “to” me while embracing the trial takes on the mindset that this is being done “for” me.

I remember that I had many questions in those first few days, yet one overarching certainty was that God had a purpose in all of this (Romans 8:28-29). From this truth the Lord laid on my heart this purpose statement.

“Embrace the trial, that I may KNOW Him and GLORIFY Him.”

It was within these first few days I was drawn to the book of Job, finding this study to be both exhausting and refreshing. I sought to plumb the depths of truth in this Biblical account of Job’s suffering and was reminded that God’s desire for each of us is to respond in worship when confronted with adversity. It is true that there are certain lessons that can only be learned in the schoolhouse of suffering. Even still, I believe it is imperative to seek to learn all that we can through the trials that others go through. From Job’s experience, one of the precious truths the Lord has shown me, is how the Godly man responds to adversity—He worships! (Job 1:20-22; Job 2:10). This clearly stems from his right view of God. The book of Job shows us a wonderful example of God’s desire for us to ask the right questions in our trials. Job responds incredibly well, in fact, extremely well when he is confronted first, with the loss of all his possessions and his children (Job 1) and secondly, with the loss of his health (Job 2). In both instances he falls down and worships the Lord. This is a Godly example that we all should strive to emulate.

As I stated in part 2, “I genuinely believe that when we learn to look at our trials in the light of Who God is and what His purpose for our trial is, we will then embrace our trials, understanding that they are for our best and for His glory.” Although these trials often come with great difficulty, we must seek to never lose sight of God’s praiseworthy purpose that Peter speaks of in his first epistle.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”—1 Peter 1:7

Through the trials of life, God’s desire for each of us is to respond to adversity in worship, giving Him glory, not only as an initial response but consistently and faithfully even as the trial wears on.

The purpose statement—“Embrace the trial, that I may know Him and glorify Him”—contains both a command, a purpose, but also a privilege. Obedience to the command to “embrace the trial” leads to the privilege of knowing the greatness of our God more intimately which guides us to the purpose of glorifying our heavenly Father more consistently. Embracing the trial is a spiritually maturing process. The more I learn about Who my heavenly Father is, the more I will grow in His grace and be more inclined to surrender to His perfect plan for me. This is a way of worship which glorifies Him.

Consider our Savior in the days leading up to His crucifixion. The shadow of the cross looms larger and darker over His path with each step He takes to fulfill His foreordained rescue mission He was sent from heaven to accomplish. He understands the full extent of the agony He would endure as He is to be crushed in this looming crucible of affliction. He embraces the reason for this mission, knowing each soul whose sin He will bear but also each soul whom He would save (Hebrews 12:2).

As He anticipates this impending suffering in sacrifice He does not, even for a single moment, rebel against the will of His Father. It is under this weight that He speaks these words;

“Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name”— John 12:27-28a

He embraced the trial because He knew His Father and desired to glorify Him at all costs.

Christ asks the question, “Should I ask to be delivered from this hour—this crucible of affliction?” The very reason for which He came to this earth was to walk this path of humiliating suffering; to die the cross-like death; to bear the sins of the world as our Chief Substitute; and to endure the wrath of a just and holy God against the sin of the world. He came to “seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) and glorify His Father with each step of obedience He took to complete this rescue mission.

The question He asks brings a startling rebuke to my own heart as I consider the thought of refusing what God says is best for me. The Father had determined Christ’s painful path and He has also providentially determined my path. Should I say, “Father, save me from this hour—this trial”? Jesus’ heart’s desire was that His Father would be glorified at any and all costs. Nothing was too great a sacrifice to see His Father magnified. As a recipient of God’s amazing grace and mercy and object of His immeasurable love, should my desire be any different?

What then will be my response? When I surrender daily to God’s Word, “grace and peace [are] multiplied unto [me] through the knowledge of God” (2 Peter 1:2). These transforming truths—knowing the heart of my heavenly Father Who has lovingly designed this path for me brings me to respond, “Father, glorify Thy name”! When I take on the mind and heart of my Savior and follow His example of obedience, my response will be, “Father, glorify Thy name”!

This journey is marked by mountains and valleys. It is marked by paths riddled with twists and turns, with paths that seemingly have no end, accompanied by temptations to doubt the purposes of God. With each step I must, in reliance upon God’s Spirit, remember that this path is one that leads to heights of truth that only this trial will bring me. Yet on this journey the Lord has also brought me to depths where I have seen the heights of the mountains of truth before me. The perspective is different in the valley. From the valley these truths seem even more transcendent as if reaching to the heavens from which they come.

I must embrace both the beautiful sights from the mountain top as well as the beauty of God’s perspective in the valley below.

What then is the path that will bring my heavenly Father the most glory? What opportunities are laid out before me—opportunities to display God-honoring attitudes and actions—opportunities to speak God-honoring words and think God-honoring thoughts? On this foreordained journey laden with obstacles and opportunities how will I respond? I must learn to allow God’s all-sufficient grace to be a practical reality in my life. I must daily surrender, intentionally letting Christ’s “strength [to be] made perfect in [my] weakness.” Then and only then can I begin to echo Paul’s words saying,

“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”— 2 Corinthians 12:9b

Through this process the Lord shows Himself mighty and will advance His kingdom through my story. This is an amazing thought to consider.

Do you find yourself in a similar narrative of difficulty with different characters and circumstances? How are you responding? Let me remind you, of what I so often need to be reminded of myself.

Know somethings about God

Know that our loving God in His sovereignty (His absolute control) and His all-wise providence (His purpose and plan to complete that purpose) allows all things to take place at their exact moment in time. The problem is that we want to be in control having things done when and how we want. Yet as we learn to wait on God, because of Who He is and Who He is to each of us personally, we will then see that all things are done at their beautiful and right time and we can truly rest quietly while we are waiting.

Do something about what you know

Embrace the process as you see it from to God’s vantage point. Refrain from simply enduring the process for with this mindset we miss so much of what God intends for us to learn—truths that we will only learn when we truly see the worth of the trial and therefore reach out and whole-heartedly embrace it.

When I know and trust Who God is—that He will not make this suffering last any longer than is necessary and that He desires my best for His glory—I can submit and wait for His perfect time to complete the process. Again, this is a continual, repeated exercise of the mind as I daily re-embrace the trial that God in His loving providence and sovereignty has custom designed for me.

When “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,” fret or fold. For as we learn to trust the Lord and let Him be our “refuge and strength” we can “be still” because we “know that [He is] God,” we see the reality of His trustworthiness. The result is that He will be “exalted” and glorified in and through our trial (Psalm 46:1-2a,10). This is what God desires.

“So, embrace the trial, My dear child, My best is what you’ll see, Beyond the suffering you feel, My Son they soon shall see.”

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Embrace the Trial – Part 2

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We are talking about the process of embracing our trials. In part one we discussed the “poem challenge”.

Here in part two we consider the “why” question.

Understanding the “WHY” Question – “Embracing ‘Why’ I Am Going Through This”

“God never wastes the sufferings of His saints.”—Warren Wiersbe

Is this statement true? Or could there be times when we go through unnecessary suffering? Is it possible that God could overdue my pain and suffering? Are there times when God steps back and just allows our times of suffering to go too far or for too long? How would you answer these questions? As you read each question, do you feel a growing sense of uneasiness asking, “Could God actual fail at something or do something wrong?” Maybe these questions echo those you have already heard yourself asking or maybe just tempted to ask.

The battlefield of the mind is filled with pathways of thought upon which we have repeatedly walked. These are often debilitating thoughts, tempting us to doubt God’s love and goodness promoting defeat instead of leading us to victory. Far too often, in trials, we find ourselves asking the unproductive question “Why?” instead of the questions that lead us upward to victory.

“Why me?” The question often asked, when confronted with a trial.
But is this the right one to be asked, facing the upward mile?

When we face a trial, the biggest question we struggle with is “why?” more specifically, “Why is this happening to me?” As I sought to come to grips with embracing this trial, I am seeing the necessity to look beyond this question of “why me?”. My desire is to encourage us to learn how to get beyond this question by considering its Biblical answer and in turn asking the better question of “Who is God?”.

I genuinely believe that when we learn to look at our trials in the light of Who God is and what His purpose for our trials is, we will then embrace our trials, understanding that they are for our best and for His glory. When we see our trial from God’s perspective we will see the value of the trial and in turn gain from it God’s best for us.

I am confident that “God never wastes the sufferings of His saints,” but what I am also sure of is that we can often waste our times of suffering, in spite of God’s best intentions. Often when confronted with a time of difficulty, whether financial, relational, physical or any other kind of trial, we can become angry and in turn bitter. Often, we rebel against the trial, fighting it at every turn. Instead of allowing God to draw us closer to Himself, we become distant to God and others.

Considering the trial before me, I know I need to be led by God in order to not “waste this suffering.” But how? What is necessary to be a faithful steward of this trial? What is necessary to gain from this trial the truths that God desires to show me and the lessons He desires to teach me?

The first step is understanding what’s wrong with asking the question, “why”? What’s wrong with genuinely desiring to understand the reason why something difficult is happening to me? I believe that in and of itself this question can be innocent, yet it really depends upon the heart and mind behind the question.

The reason this question is unproductive is because it’s often asked with the wrong perspective. Unfortunately, all too often when this question is asked, it is with a heart that is really asking, “Why me”? When asked this way, we are implying that we don’t deserve this trial based upon any number of reasons that all make sense to us at the time. We may be tempted to say, “I haven’t done anything to deserve this!” The question, “why me” truly is the natural first question but asked with the wrong perspective and attitude. With this statement, the focus is on the painful process instead of the praiseworthy purpose. The focus is on “what I don’t like” instead of “what God is like” and “what God knows is best.” The focus in on my self instead of on my God.

Another reason that this question is unproductive is because it’s asked with the wrong theology. When our trials are due to punishment or chastisement, in our heart of hearts the answer seems more understandable. It is easier to see that God is dealing with a specific sin. But when the trial seems beyond our understanding, or when it continues on with no end in sight, in weariness we are tempted to doubt the wisdom of God in allowing this to take place. If we are not careful, we can allow the pain of the Refiner’s fire to redefine our theology about the Refiner Himself. We therefore question who God is by questioning His love for us because it doesn’t feel like He loves me. There are other things that we question, but usually we start with His love. This is where we begin to waste the suffering. It is important to listen to what God is saying to us.

“Embrace the trial,” God says to me, “and fight not My design.
My way seems hard, the road unsure, when questioning the line.”

God responds by encouraging us to surrender. He wants us to stop focusing on the painful process and instead look to His praiseworthy purpose.

The next step is understanding the Biblical answer to the “why” question? Biblically, the why question has a simple answer which gives our times of suffering great purpose. Consider what Paul says in Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose […] to be conformed to the image of His Son.” God’s purpose for our suffering is the development of Christlikeness.

Why would He desire this purpose, one might ask? The answer comes from Revelation 4:11, which reads, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” We were created for God’s pleasure—“that we should be to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12). The way that we can accomplish this purpose is by submitting to God’s process—His process of developing the likeness of Christ in us, through the trials we face, in order to faithfully display the likeness of Christ, to others we face.

Sometimes this answer isn’t enough for us. Sometimes we still want to know “why me?” As the struggles of the trial continues, we plead with God for answers. We often plead with God, “I can’t do this! This is too much for me! Why does this have to be so hard?” Our conversation, with Him, may go something like this…

“My fight is not with You, my God, but why my path so hard?
My Lord, is this the best for me, Your frail and weary child?”

“Embrace the trial,” my Lord responds, “Surrender to My way.
Truly it’s for your best, you’ll see, My blessings’ on its way.”

“But Lord, this path is quite unclear and only if I knew,
The length of time to see it through I’d surrender all to You!”

“Embrace the trial, my dear child, I want what’s best for you.
I love you more than you can know just trust Me, this is true!”

“But why, O Lord, is this so hard for me to yield to You?
If only but a glimpse of view to bear this burden through.”

And then with loving, gentle voice, the pain He cuts right through,
“My Son will come alive in you, when yieldings’ what you do.”

It is in these times that we must yield our will to the will of God and trust Him. I find that a right perspective, based on right theology, is vital to overcoming this ongoing struggle against embracing the trial.

So, what’s the right perspective?

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”—1 Peter 1:7

The right perspective comes from a proper understanding of Who God is—He is the Divine Refiner skillfully purifying His children like gold.

As I study through God’s Word I am amazed at the word pictures that are used to help us learn important truths. Peter speaks of a refiner to illustrate the process of the “trial of our faith.” The refiner heats the gold with fire to reveal the impurities—speaking of the areas of our lives that need to be changed. He then removes those impurities, purifying the gold. The purer the gold, the more reflective it becomes. God, as the Master Refiner, desires to see His own reflection as He looks into the lives of His children being purified in the furnace of suffering. His praiseworthy purpose is to see the likeness of His Son clearly displayed as His children respond in obedience to this painful process.

“The best is not the question ‘Why?’ but better yet, just ‘Who?’
For when you see Me, Who I am, you will surrender too.”

“So, embrace the trial, My dear child, My best is what you’ll see,
Beyond the suffering you feel, My Son they soon shall see.”

Next time we will seek to begin to look at the “Who” question, embracing “Who” God is to help us as we embrace this “why” question.

Hope that is Based upon Truth

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What gets you through the trials of life?  How do you weather the difficult, discouraging storms of life that often leave you in despair?  Often in life we feel as though we are dealt a bad hand and we struggle with the injustices of life.  We feel these are due to bad luck and sometimes we may even blame God for His part in our difficulties as if He does not love us.

In these times we feel so alone and discouraged, hopeless and full of despair because the world seems against us and God seems far from us.  These are the times in which we may lose hope and in turn “hope” that our luck will change even though we feel as though this “hope” is just a “hope and a prayer.”  In these times our hope is based upon our feelings and perceptions about life.  This is a dangerous place for us to be!  So do you just batten down the hatches and ride out the storm or is there another option?

The answer is that there is another option and it is found in God’s Word—the Bible!  God, the Creator of life has given us the guide book to life to show us His designed way to live a life of purpose and peace.  This is the life of knowing Him—not a life of religion but life because of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Warren Wiersbe writes, “Unbelief causes us to look at God through our circumstances, and this creates hopelessness; but faith enables us to look at our circumstances through the reality of God and this gives us hope.”[i]

Instead of hoping that our luck will change let us, by faith, consider the “hope that is based upon Truth.”  Let’s consider the words of the “Weeping Prophet,” Jeremiah—a man who knew great discouragement in life.  A man who experienced the world against him yet was able to live a faithful life of purpose and hope—a life that honored the Lord.  His hope was properly defined as confidence because it was based upon truth.  Let his words encourage you.  In Lamentations 3:21 he says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”

He says, “This is what I remind myself of—this is what I know to be true about my God, therefore I have hope or patient confidence!” Jeremiah reminds himself of the truths of God which he recounts in the following verses.  The truths of God, as they are recalled to mind, should bring us comfort as they reassure us of God’s faithfulness, His love, His mercy, His all-sufficiency, His grace…and the wonder of it all is that the list goes on and on.

What you know, and rely on, to be true about the Lord will transform your life!

Learn to preach God’s Word to yourself instead of listening to yourself.

The “Weeping Prophet” goes on to say, “it is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. ” (Lamentations 3:22)

Jeremiah reminds himself of God’s mercy and compassion.  The trials of life, as fires of affliction, are meant to chasten and cleanse us not to consume us. They are meant to direct not destroy.  Although sometimes we feel the only way we’ll make it out is through death but the divine purpose of God is to purge us in order to prove the reality of our faith.  Keep in mind that because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) we deserve to be consumed by the fires of affliction, yet God in His tender mercy and grace takes us through these fires to bring us forth as gold.

Truth to remember: Our God is merciful and compassionate.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)

The trials of life are the evidence of God’s faithful work in our lives to work in us His divine purpose of “conforming us into the image of His Son” (Romans 8:28-29).  Never forget the truth that all of God’s actions toward us are actions of love as He lovingly seeks to turn us back into right fellowship with Himself and for those who have yet to receive Him as Lord and Savior, He seeks to win their souls to Him.

The LORD’s compassions never fail “they are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23).  Although we at times come to the point of feeling like they have failed, yet the Lord is faithful.  He is faithful in being the living God who compassionately loves us.

The tender mercies or compassions of God “are new every morning” because God has an endless supply of mercy and we must learn to faithfully live each day as a new day.  It is because of God’s mercy that we have a new day to live for Him.

Truth to remember: Our God is faithful.

“The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.” (Lamentations 3:24)

Jeremiah continues as he says, “The LORD is my portion” or the source of his strength and hope—his confidence.  Is it possible to use up this infinite source? When we are living in this truth, we can have patient confidence that God is in control and what He does is right.  This is where the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) comes from.  It literally surpasses human reasoning in its ability to relieve anxiety in our lives.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us that as we stay focused on the this Source—His Truths—He promises His “perfect peace” will be a precious reality to us.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed [fixed] on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

When we begin to realize that God is sufficient to meet every genuine need and at the same time that we lack this self-sufficiency, it should increase our dependence upon Him.  When we trust Him to be able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) is when we begin to live as He designed us to live—living a life of confidence in the Lord while enjoying the supernatural peace that only comes from the Giver of peace.

Truth to remember: Our God is ALL that we need.

“The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.” (Lamentations 3:25)

Finally we see the goodness of God.  Stop and think of all the ways that the Lord has been good to you.  Don’t forget to include that difficult times of life where God has drawn you closer to Himself by revealing to you an area of needed change.

Truth to remember:  Our God is good.

Remember that He is the God who loves to forgive.  Those areas that He reveals to us where change is needed—sin is usually the culprit.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee.” (Psalm 86:5)

Truth to remember: Our God is ALWAYS ready to forgive.

When you stop and consider these precious truths about the Lord do you feel your heart being lifted up? Do you begin to hear the “new song in [your] mouth, even praise unto [your] God” (Psalm 40:3)?  Confidently know the God of the Bible and enjoy the peace that only He can give.  Let Him give you peace in the storms as you rely on what you know to be true about Him. Allow the light of God’s Word to break through darkness and despair and reveal the stabilizing truths about Himself that He wants you to know and hold on to.

Trust in what the Bible says is true about the Lord.  Rely upon this transforming knowledge and “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

[i] Warren Wiersbe, “The Bible Exposition Commentary – Old Testament The Prophets”, p. 158