Title: The Benefits of Trials and Suffering
The benefits of trials and tribulations
1 Peter 1:3-7
People hate training, trials, external pressures and stress, but in fact, they often benefit us.
We need to revise the concept of blessing.
There are no problems, and being the protagonist of miracles and success is not a blessing.
The important thing is not to experience miraculous miracles, but to see life itself as a miracle and be grateful for the little things.
It is also important to discover and appreciate God's good hand in the midst of trials.
Many people like having no difficulties, but God knows a better way than us.
So sometimes trials are allowed.
Who is really successful?
Those who overcome trials and triumphs through faith are truly successful people.
How can you overcome the ordeal?
1. You must prepare your mind.
When Peter wrote this epistle, the Roman emperors were outright persecuting the saints, and about a year after this epistle was written, there was a great persecution of Nero.
At that time, Nero the tyrant was delighted to see Rome burning, but the Romans were angry.
At that time, Nero was looking for a scapegoat to appease the wrath of the citizens, and eventually he accused Christians of being arsonists and was burned at the stake.
At the height of Nero's madness, Christians were burned at the stake on every road to Rome.
It was full of flaming crosses hanging like lines of power poles.
In such a situation, the saints must have received great comfort from this epistle (verses 1-7).
Also, this epistle is essential for those who are in trouble now and the saints who are preparing for the great tribulation in the future.
Such mental preparation greatly increases our ability to overcome trials.
And most of all, when preparing, we must pray for the Holy Spirit to take hold of us.
Also, in Acts chapter 2, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and influenced thousands of people with one sermon.
When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will gain wisdom and realize what to do, where to go, and how to speak.
In Acts 16, when Paul is about to go to Bithynia, the Holy Spirit sends him to Europe without permission.
Why?
Perhaps the Holy Spirit prevented the Apostle Paul from going there because Bithynia was the area where Peter was missionary.
The Holy Spirit is the spirit of peace.
If we are filled with the Holy Spirit to rule ourselves, overcome our circumstances, and be at peace with our neighbors, we can overcome any kind of trial.
2. You must have confidence and hope.
Verse 3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
The Lord saves us who deserve death and gives us a living hope by His resurrection.
you have given
Therefore, no matter what trials you face, you should not despair.
Because the result will always lead to victory.
Peter experienced it desperately.
When Jesus died on the cross, Peter lost hope and was only thinking about the sorrow of denying Jesus.
Also, every time I heard a chicken crowing, I felt like I was going to die of guilt.
But after meeting the resurrected Lord, I had a living hope and an unshakable conviction. In the same way, we too must have a living hope and confidence.
Without confidence, there is no peace.
Without certainty, we cannot escape from resentment, complaint, inferiority, and despair.
But with certainty, a hum comes out, strength in the feet and ankles, and living water springs up in the heart.
“There is no hope in this body
Only our Lord Jesus
except our Lord Jesus
I can't believe it
you are a solid rock
I will stand on it
On it I will stand.”
If you have confidence, even your resentment becomes a song of praise.
Verse 4, “to an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and does not fade, reserved for you in heaven.”
The Lord has given us an eternal inheritance.
People envy second-generation chaebols inheriting their father's inheritance, but saints inherit a much more precious inheritance.
In addition to giving the company
He will keep us and protect us to the end of the world.
When such confidence and hope are clear, any trial can be overcome with abundance.
3. Be more chaste.
Verse 7, “so that the trial of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tried by fire, may be found to be praise, glory, and honor at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
In this verse, the expression ‘trials of faith’ appears.
This means that there must be trials in faith.
Faith without trials is like steamed buns without bread and a well without water.
Trials are the honor and evidence of faith.
If you want great faith, you must also expect great trials.
Abraham obeyed when the test came to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.
Then God said in Genesis 22:12.
“Now I know that you fear God.”
Why is there a trial of faith?
(1) To prove the sincerity of our faith.
If your faith does not overcome trials, and when trials and problems come, you complain, resent and lose heart just like unbelievers, it is not true faith.
Therefore, the sincerity of faith is not measured by blessings and successes, but by trials.
(2) It is to remove the dirty impurities in the cage.
People usually judge success by quantity, but quantity is not always good. For example, even if there is 1 gram of gold in 1 ton of ore, that is one millionth of that, it is called a gold ore.
Gold ore sounds great, but in reality, it's absurdly large.
The gold ore is mined and smelted to make pure gold.
Then there is a rapid quantitative reduction, but there is practically no loss, and on the contrary, the real value and utility becomes much greater.
It is for this very purpose that God gives the trial of faith.
Trials are a tool to remove impurities from me.
If that impurity is not removed yet, there will be another ordeal.
The pure faith obtained through such a trial process will become the power to move Mount Tai, and in the end you will receive praise, honor, and glory as in the second half of verse 7.
As we go through life, trials come to us in various ways.
Even the presence of God is a trial.
Hebrews 12:29 says, 'Our God is a consuming fire'. It means that the presence of God is like going into a hot fire.
At that time, all our impurities are removed, so God's presence is both a blessing and a trial.
Blessings can also be trials.
Sometimes having material possessions can be a harsher test than poverty.
Because people who fail because they have things rather than people who fail because they don't.
Because there are a lot more people.
Therefore, the more we do things and the more we advance in the world, the more we should cling to prayer so that we do not become arrogant and indolent.
In that sense, praise is also a form of ordeal.
How do you feel when someone comes to you and says, “You are a great person!”
But if you think that you have become a really great person because of those words, it's scary.
Because trials can come in such a variety of ways, we must not lose our gratitude no matter what trials we face, and we must examine ourselves well so that we can be reborn as holiness and humble beings that are pleasing to God.
Revelation 3:19 says this.
“Anyone whom I love I rebuke and discipline…”
God gives trials because He loves.
There is no harm in that ordeal.
All trials are entirely in God's hands.
No trials in this world come without God's approval and permission.
Therefore, do not be afraid of trials.
Looking back over the years, the worst days are often regarded as the best days.
Therefore, we should rather rejoice when we have trials.
Now, do not expect others to comfort you when you are in trouble, but rather to congratulate you.
When a trial is accepted as such, it is never a bad thing and will soon disappear after it has been of great benefit.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:18:
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.” The Lord will never forget our righteous tears and gratitude in our trials, and He will reward us abundantly.
Trials are not bad. Without the cross there is no crown.
With unshakable faith even in the midst of trials, we give thanks in all circumstances,
If you take it and stand up again, your worries and troubles will soon be over, and the glorious day of glory will soon come. Amen