What Again Is the Purpose of Those Trials in Life?

I Peter 1:3-9; 2:7-8: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 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 - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of you souls. . . . But to those who do not believe . . . . they stumble because they disobey the message-which is also what they were destined for."

The purpose for Peter's first writing was to provide a word of encouragement to the Church in the midst of suffering. Persecution seemed to be a consistent theme in the lives of the first century believers, and Peter advised them not to be surprised, but to "rejoice that (they) participate in the sufferings of Christ" (4:12-13).


In the passage cited above, Peter communicated to his audience that trials would be a continuous part of their lives. God in His Providence would permit such struggles in life in order that faith (which is of greater value that gold) would be "proved genuine" and would bring even greater expression of glory and praise to the Lord in His eternal blessedness.


God in His infinite wisdom, understands that we grow most in our faith in Him as our Lord when we are faced with tribulation; our perceived need for God's strength and grace is heightened when we reach the valleys of difficulty and disappointment, for we are reminded that we are unable to find deliverance except by the mighty hand of God. When our trials take us to the depths of despair, we see the majesty of God and His ability to provide us with the strength to persevere.


What is reassuring is that the Lord provides us with His banner of protection, and He shields us from the onslaught of fear and discouragement that can arise when we are attacked by painful trials. Still, we must remember Peter's words that it is our faith in Jesus Christ that opens the floodgates of God's power in our lives to weather the storms of difficulty. As we reflect upon the assurance of our eternal inheritance that will never "spoil, perish, or fade," we reorient our focus upon the hope of our future with the Lord, and we are strengthened in our resolve to press on, no matter what painful experience befalls us.

Never forget that we must anchor our trust in the Lord alone. When misfortune comes our way, we must recommit ourselves to the hope to which we profess . . . namely the Lord Jesus Christ and His promise of our salvation. It is then that our faith will accomplish its ultimate purpose, which is the praise and glorification of the One True Lord of Hosts. And we in turn will reap the harvest of inexpressible joy, no matter what perilous state in which we find ourselves.