How to Rejoicing in Trials – 1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)
In October of 2009, I read an e-mail from Pakistan that included a news article. The Taliban around the city of Sargodha sent a letter to several Christian pastors and Christian schools in the city. The letter said that Christians should convert to Islam, pay an Islamic tax imposed on religious minorities known as 'Jizya tax', or leave the country. If Christians refused to accept these choices, they were threatened with death, property and homes being burnt to ashes, and their women treated as sex slaves. The letter added that Christians would be responsible for this.
If I lived in Sargodha, would I be rejoicing that my faith was being tested? What would I do? Would I remain and take my chances that the government would protect my family and me? Would I take everything I could carry and flee? I can't predict what I would do; however, I have made up my mind that I would rejoice.
Decide Ahead of Time
I've been through some personal trials in my past with family, health, and other things, but nothing that threatened my life. I have felt God's presence in those trials. I know He will sustain me in trials because His Word affirms this. I have resolved that I will listen for God's direction if life threatening persecutions were to happen to me. He may lead me to flee as many of the early Christian did when persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 8). Most fled to other parts of Israel and even beyond. The amazing thing is that when this occurred, the Word of God spread faster than it would have in a time of peace. Perhaps I would flee and thereby take the Gospel to some area where people need to hear it.
If I had to stay in place and was threatened to renounce Christ or die, my verse would be: Mark 8:36 "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (NASB) At this time in my life, I have made up my mind that I would not renounce Jesus for any reason. If it cost me my life then I would be in a better place. Why do I say this so confidently? It's because I know that if I don't make the choice now, when I'm not threatened, I will have a harder time when faced with that choice later. This same principle applies to most critical decisions. I must make up my mind to be honest even when no one is watching. Otherwise, if I'm faced with an easy way to cheat and get away with it (on my job, taxes, wife, you name it), it will be harder to do right thing.
Get the Right Perspective
Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." (RSV)
Jesus' words are sometimes hard to swallow. In the U.S., many churches teach a Christian should be healthy and wealthy or they are living in a state of unfaithfulness. I can't help to wonder why they ignore Jesus' clear teaching that some will be persecuted. Many other verses also state this is the norm for Christians. Peter opened his first letter to those who had already been scattered to other countries because of persecution. I certainly don't think that I should be exempt just because I live in the 21st century.
Jesus' words bring out the truth that I'm not living for this world. My reward will be in heaven. If I fix my eyes on this world and its rewards, then my decisions and goals will be oriented toward the temporary things of this world. Peter identified that the trials we face in this world are only for a short time. When I eventually die, then all those temporary things will be gone and the eternal things that I should have worked for will not have been achieved (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Know the Outcome
While my eventual reward will be given to me in heaven, I must also consider that all trials and tribulations will test and strengthen my faith. Trials will help me develop perseverance and character. This builds up my hope, which I have placed in Christ. I can only do this because of God's love that He has poured out into my by His Holy Spirit when I gave myself to Jesus as my Lord and Savior. This theme is repeated throughout Scripture.
Testing of my faith proves that it is genuine. While some preach that trials in life are proof of unfaithfulness, they actually come to prove that we are faithful. The only ones that are unfaithful are those who crumble under the trial and renounce their faith in Christ. How sad it would be to claim Jesus as my Lord and Savior only to renounce Him when things get tough.
I had friend who had been passed over for a promotion and was taking it out on everyone around him. After some long conversations, he accepted Jesus as his Savior and there was an immediate change to his demeanor and his language. He came to church with his family and was all smiles. The trial didn't end as he expected. The next think I knew, he was back to his old ways and filed for a divorce. I took him aside and asked about his proclamation of faith in Jesus. He replied that he had only "tried" Jesus to see if his problems would go away and they didn't. His trials proved that his faith wasn't genuine. His behavior became worse than it was before, which is exactly what Scripture predicts for those who taste of the good things that God provides but don't make a true commitment.
I can look forward to the rewards of heaven and I can look forward to improving my character to help me through trials. However, if my goal isn't to bring glory to Jesus, my motives are in question. The ultimate goal in all trials is to bring glory to my Savior, Jesus.
For my brothers and sisters in Pakistan, I pray daily for you. I pray that you would remain strong in your faith and not surrender. I pray that you would have wisdom to flee or stay. I pray that plans to aid you in will occur as I have seen over the years. I pray that you will not show fear for that is Satan's tool to keep others from becoming Christians. I pray that you will be able to rejoice in all circumstances. And I pray for peace for you.
Bible Study on First and Second Peter
In October of 2009, I read an e-mail from Pakistan that included a news article. The Taliban around the city of Sargodha sent a letter to several Christian pastors and Christian schools in the city. The letter said that Christians should convert to Islam, pay an Islamic tax imposed on religious minorities known as 'Jizya tax', or leave the country. If Christians refused to accept these choices, they were threatened with death, property and homes being burnt to ashes, and their women treated as sex slaves. The letter added that Christians would be responsible for this.
If I lived in Sargodha, would I be rejoicing that my faith was being tested? What would I do? Would I remain and take my chances that the government would protect my family and me? Would I take everything I could carry and flee? I can't predict what I would do; however, I have made up my mind that I would rejoice.
Decide Ahead of Time
I've been through some personal trials in my past with family, health, and other things, but nothing that threatened my life. I have felt God's presence in those trials. I know He will sustain me in trials because His Word affirms this. I have resolved that I will listen for God's direction if life threatening persecutions were to happen to me. He may lead me to flee as many of the early Christian did when persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 8). Most fled to other parts of Israel and even beyond. The amazing thing is that when this occurred, the Word of God spread faster than it would have in a time of peace. Perhaps I would flee and thereby take the Gospel to some area where people need to hear it.
If I had to stay in place and was threatened to renounce Christ or die, my verse would be: Mark 8:36 "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (NASB) At this time in my life, I have made up my mind that I would not renounce Jesus for any reason. If it cost me my life then I would be in a better place. Why do I say this so confidently? It's because I know that if I don't make the choice now, when I'm not threatened, I will have a harder time when faced with that choice later. This same principle applies to most critical decisions. I must make up my mind to be honest even when no one is watching. Otherwise, if I'm faced with an easy way to cheat and get away with it (on my job, taxes, wife, you name it), it will be harder to do right thing.
Get the Right Perspective
Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." (RSV)
Jesus' words are sometimes hard to swallow. In the U.S., many churches teach a Christian should be healthy and wealthy or they are living in a state of unfaithfulness. I can't help to wonder why they ignore Jesus' clear teaching that some will be persecuted. Many other verses also state this is the norm for Christians. Peter opened his first letter to those who had already been scattered to other countries because of persecution. I certainly don't think that I should be exempt just because I live in the 21st century.
Jesus' words bring out the truth that I'm not living for this world. My reward will be in heaven. If I fix my eyes on this world and its rewards, then my decisions and goals will be oriented toward the temporary things of this world. Peter identified that the trials we face in this world are only for a short time. When I eventually die, then all those temporary things will be gone and the eternal things that I should have worked for will not have been achieved (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Know the Outcome
While my eventual reward will be given to me in heaven, I must also consider that all trials and tribulations will test and strengthen my faith. Trials will help me develop perseverance and character. This builds up my hope, which I have placed in Christ. I can only do this because of God's love that He has poured out into my by His Holy Spirit when I gave myself to Jesus as my Lord and Savior. This theme is repeated throughout Scripture.
Testing of my faith proves that it is genuine. While some preach that trials in life are proof of unfaithfulness, they actually come to prove that we are faithful. The only ones that are unfaithful are those who crumble under the trial and renounce their faith in Christ. How sad it would be to claim Jesus as my Lord and Savior only to renounce Him when things get tough.
I had friend who had been passed over for a promotion and was taking it out on everyone around him. After some long conversations, he accepted Jesus as his Savior and there was an immediate change to his demeanor and his language. He came to church with his family and was all smiles. The trial didn't end as he expected. The next think I knew, he was back to his old ways and filed for a divorce. I took him aside and asked about his proclamation of faith in Jesus. He replied that he had only "tried" Jesus to see if his problems would go away and they didn't. His trials proved that his faith wasn't genuine. His behavior became worse than it was before, which is exactly what Scripture predicts for those who taste of the good things that God provides but don't make a true commitment.
I can look forward to the rewards of heaven and I can look forward to improving my character to help me through trials. However, if my goal isn't to bring glory to Jesus, my motives are in question. The ultimate goal in all trials is to bring glory to my Savior, Jesus.
For my brothers and sisters in Pakistan, I pray daily for you. I pray that you would remain strong in your faith and not surrender. I pray that you would have wisdom to flee or stay. I pray that plans to aid you in will occur as I have seen over the years. I pray that you will not show fear for that is Satan's tool to keep others from becoming Christians. I pray that you will be able to rejoice in all circumstances. And I pray for peace for you.
Bible Study on First and Second Peter