You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7
God refines us with fires of grace though they appear to be cruel and overwhelming, at times. Without heat, gold cannot be truly tested. Without trial, neither can our faith. Our trials are all so different. As Peter says, they vary. Keep in mind today that the Refiner who controls the flames of our testing loves us and has secured us. A thought to think upon under the weight of a heavy season is that God has intimately formed you, and each test is suited particularly for the endurance of your faith. He knows when and where to increase the flame that His work may come forth greater than it was before.
I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
God is completing the good work He started in us. Our faith may feel weak under the flame, but the holy, power of God is doing something divine in the fire which cannot be measured by our feelings. Every test is preparing us for the revealing of Christ. No trial is wasted. Amy Carmichael speaks about these trials of our faith being God’s finishing touches on the good work He began.
“These finishing touches often come through the sweet joys of life, but they come, too, through the tiny trials, the little disappointments, the small things we hardly like to speak about, and yet which are very real to us. Let us think of them as the touches of His fingers– the finishing touches.”
-Edges of His Ways, Amy Carmichael
Every test is so that our faith “may result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. What awaits those who have known no true trials of faith? Humiliation, disgrace, and shame. Think on that today. What you are enduring now, will produce joy eternally. What others are not enduring now, will produce eternal sorrow. See the trial for what it is today. A fire of grace. A finishing touch of His love.
Prayer Prompts:
- Read Job 23:10. Pray that God would help you to view your trials with faith like Job.
- What thoughts have you been entertaining in your mind about the trials you are facing?
- What do these thoughts tell you about how you view times of testing?
- What lies do you need to combat about God that you have been believing because of what you are facing?