Oh my goodness, what a long list of wonderful promises I could list that we know God will always deliver on. And some day, and some blog post, that might be exactly what we need. But that’s not where God led me for this particular week.
As I write this, it’s the Friday before my automatic Tuesday post. I rarely get to this late day without having a blog post idea. I don’t panic, however, because God has faithfully given me an idea before my self-imposed deadline every. single. time.
And we’re not talking just a few here and there. God has given me a blog post idea for nearly 250 blog posts. Isn’t that amazing??? It’s one of the miracles I live out with God on a weekly basis. I’m so grateful he’s my writing partner and that he NEVER fails to show up.
That’s a little rabbit trail that I intentionally took because it does feed into today’s topic and because I wanted you to get a little of my “Behind-the-scenes-with-God” view!
I didn’t have any clue what to write on as I started my devotions this morning. I had made some general appeals to God to drop an idea into my head any time now! They’ve come from various sources and at numerous times of the day or night. Again, I don’t panic. I trust God’s history on this.
So as I’m reading my devotions, 2 of the 4 devotions referenced this scripture text from I Peter 4:12:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Was this God’s timely idea? I’ll admit I resisted for a few seconds because I sometimes get weary of writing about trials. Yes, I know, it is the heart of my ministry and it is the reality I live every day. But sometimes, God, I’d like a break from that. Apparently not this week! So let’s dig in.
First of all, don’t miss how Peter is addressing his audience, and ultimately all of us because God has ordained every verse in scripture for all of us. He calls them “beloved.” We know God’s heart for us is to also call us his beloved. Don’t you love that tender declaration?
Here’s my own personal understanding on this, so take it with any grain of salt you deem appropriate. I believe this tender term of endearment to us is because what follows will not be easy to swallow. “Don’t be surprised at the fiery trail when it comes upon you…” Did you catch FIERY? Yikes! That’s not just a bump in the road, is it? It is life-altering, life-derailing, life-ruining (in our eyes) and…profoundly painful.
THIS is what Peter is telling us to be prepared for. Don’t be surprised. Don’t pretend it hasn’t hit you. Or don’t even hope you’ll never have one. God has promised that he will send them our way. It’s as sure as the air you breathe. Take it to the spiritual bank.
I’ve written a lot of words about what God does through our trials, so I won’t reiterate all of that here. But the new twist today is that it should never be a surprise to us when we’re hit by a major trial. I would guess virtually everyone reading this has a specific trial pop into your head. You’ve experienced it. Or you’ve walked closely with someone who has. And it might not be a stretch to assume that many of those trials came as a surprise to you. Even those trials we might see coming such as an expected dire medical diagnosis or an impending death, while not a surprise in the purest sense, still catch us a bit off-guard by their severity.
I will say one blanket statement about God and trials and then move on. One of the great questions of our day is, “Why does God allow such suffering in this world?” There are reams of paper filled with answers to that question. And scores of scripture texts that speak into it. But my simple answer, borne from my personal experience, both with trials and the Great Comforter, is this:
“God takes us through trials because He wants a deeper relationship with us.”
I’ve also written about that so will not go back and rehash “old news.” So I put it out there so you can make your own application in your life, if God so leads.
I’d like to look at just a few suggestions that may help us as we take to heart this scripture from I Peter.
First of all, can we develop a mentality that truly isn’t surprised by a fiery trial? And how might one do that? For me, it means immediately trusting in God’s sovereignty, in his loving kindness over everything that comes into my life. I want to go into this “surprise” with the full assurance that God’s got it, because it’s NOT a surprise to him.
Secondly, as I stated above, can we look for what God is doing through it? At a minimum, can we rely so completely on him that we can’t help but develop a more personal and deeper relationship with him? That’s where I’ve EVENTUALLY landed, and it’s my prayer for you.
And lastly, let’s look at the verse following verse 12, where we read:
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
This suffering, this fiery trial you’re experiencing, is one of the earthly connections we have with Christ, who suffered more than any one of us could ever imagine, in every way imaginable. But what’s ahead is where we put our hope – “when his glory is revealed.” It’s the hope of heaven I write about constantly and for which I truly long. This is what’s ahead for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross.
May you find peace in these words of Jesus.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
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