"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
Peter warns his readers that the fiery trial is coming, so don’t be surprised when it does. We are always surprised when bad things happen to us. Our response is something like, “What? How dare something bad happen to ME? Sob, sob, sob…woe is me!” Maybe you don’t say, “Woe is me,” but I guarantee you say the 2011 version of that phrase. We are shocked and dismayed when bad things happen to us.
Well, allow me to speak the words of Peter to you: do not be surprised when bad things happen to you. They will. Some of you know this very well. People you know will betray you, people you love will get horribly sick, friends will die in accidents, parents will get divorced, you will lose a job, or a thousand other bad things can and will happen to you or those you love. I’m not implying that the pain isn’t real or the suffering is meaningless, I’m just saying don’t be surprised when it happens.
We shouldn’t be surprised when bad things happen because that is the natural result of sin in the world. Sin corrupts and separates us from God – which is why we need a Savior. Christ came to liberate us from the power of sin, to recreate us into His saints, and then turn us loose to take His light to the world. We live with the consequences of the fallen world, but have the ability to rise above it because of our hope in Christ. Trials are coming, but our faith in Jesus allows us to live victoriously in the midst of suffering.
As difficult as that truth is, Peter takes it another step further. He says that we can rejoice when we suffer for Christ because we join in his suffering. Regardless of how horrific your suffering is (and think about Paul who was stoned, flogged, shipwrecked, and eventually martyred for his faith in Christ), the glory that results from your affliction is so much greater that it will make you want to rejoice in your suffering. Ponder that amazing statement for a while…
Our challenge is to look beyond the persecution to see Christ. The spiritual blessing is more important than the physical trial. The pain we endure on earth is nothing compared to the glory we receive for our faithfulness. It’s not that we don’t feel pain; pain hurts followers of Christ just like everyone else. It’s that our faith in Christ is more important than the pain we feel.
To sum up, trials are coming. Some trials are the result of living in a fallen world – in that case, our calling is to bear the trial with faithful endurance. And some of the trials will come specifically because you are a follower of Christ. The first set will occur one way or another; the second set will come if you choose to live like Jesus. Are you willing to live like Christ knowing that you will suffer like Christ? It is your choice…
“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” – CS Lewis
Peter warns his readers that the fiery trial is coming, so don’t be surprised when it does. We are always surprised when bad things happen to us. Our response is something like, “What? How dare something bad happen to ME? Sob, sob, sob…woe is me!” Maybe you don’t say, “Woe is me,” but I guarantee you say the 2011 version of that phrase. We are shocked and dismayed when bad things happen to us.
Well, allow me to speak the words of Peter to you: do not be surprised when bad things happen to you. They will. Some of you know this very well. People you know will betray you, people you love will get horribly sick, friends will die in accidents, parents will get divorced, you will lose a job, or a thousand other bad things can and will happen to you or those you love. I’m not implying that the pain isn’t real or the suffering is meaningless, I’m just saying don’t be surprised when it happens.
We shouldn’t be surprised when bad things happen because that is the natural result of sin in the world. Sin corrupts and separates us from God – which is why we need a Savior. Christ came to liberate us from the power of sin, to recreate us into His saints, and then turn us loose to take His light to the world. We live with the consequences of the fallen world, but have the ability to rise above it because of our hope in Christ. Trials are coming, but our faith in Jesus allows us to live victoriously in the midst of suffering.
As difficult as that truth is, Peter takes it another step further. He says that we can rejoice when we suffer for Christ because we join in his suffering. Regardless of how horrific your suffering is (and think about Paul who was stoned, flogged, shipwrecked, and eventually martyred for his faith in Christ), the glory that results from your affliction is so much greater that it will make you want to rejoice in your suffering. Ponder that amazing statement for a while…
Our challenge is to look beyond the persecution to see Christ. The spiritual blessing is more important than the physical trial. The pain we endure on earth is nothing compared to the glory we receive for our faithfulness. It’s not that we don’t feel pain; pain hurts followers of Christ just like everyone else. It’s that our faith in Christ is more important than the pain we feel.
To sum up, trials are coming. Some trials are the result of living in a fallen world – in that case, our calling is to bear the trial with faithful endurance. And some of the trials will come specifically because you are a follower of Christ. The first set will occur one way or another; the second set will come if you choose to live like Jesus. Are you willing to live like Christ knowing that you will suffer like Christ? It is your choice…
“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” – CS Lewis
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