Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 55 – 1 Peter 1:6-7 – Proved Genuine- Growing As Disciples
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. 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
Trials
It seems like I have just left a trial, or I am just about to enter one. Why is that? You are asking me why there are so many trials in life? Do you think I know the answer to that question? That is a question, I would like to ask you. I asked you first and yes, I know that you know the answer to your own question. Well, this is a sin broken world that I live in. Sin has corrupted everything about this life. Sin has brought trials of every kind into this world. That’s correct. This world now functions in ways that are not according to your plan. This world is deeply under the influence of evil. Nothing about this world has been left untouched by sin and evil and darkness. That is also correct.
Am I unable to redeem and use trials to accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans? Is all lost? Is there no hope? Can nothing good come from the trials of this life? Certainly not. You can and do redeem and use trials to accomplish your purpose and fulfill your plans. There is much hope. Much good can come out of trials. Tell me about that. I can think of two great goods that can come out of trials. I’m listening. First, trials draw me closer to you. Trials cause me to cry out to you. If someone were to ask me when I have felt closest to you, I would tell them that I have felt closest to you in the midst of trials. You have not left me alone in the midst of my trials. You have drawn near to me as I have drawn near to you. You have shown me your kindness, mercy and love in the midst of my trials. You have helped me in my trials. You have sustained and strengthened me in trials. You have refreshed and revived me in trials. You have picked me up and carried me through trials. Most importantly, you have tested, refined, purified and proved my faith in you through trials. Yes, I have done all these things in, and for you in the midst of trials.
But that is not all you have done for me in the midst of my trials. There is more? There is much more. Tell me what more I have done for you in trials. You have taken my heart and mind and eyes off of this life. The pain of this life has caused me to ache for the life to come, forever in heaven with you. You have shown me that this is not all there is to life. This pain filled life is temporary and will very quickly pass away. My life, with you, in heaven will last forever. That is my future. That is my hope. That is my cause for great joy. One day I will come to live forever in heaven, with you. That will be very good. I look forward to that day. That day carries me through the trials of this life. That is very good.
Lord, you went through trials. There is no surprise that I will also go through trials. Test, refine, prove and grow my faith in you as I go through trials in life. Help me to keep my heart, mind and eyes firmly focused on you as I am in the midst of various trials. Amen
Key Question… When have you known that a trial was testing and proving the genuineness of your faith?
Living It Out… Endure trials with the knowledge that they will prove the genuineness of your faith.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that trials will help prove the genuineness of your faith.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how trials have helped prove the genuineness of your faith.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you endure trials because you know that they will prove the genuineness of your faith.
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