"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 honour when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)
I think it's interesting that frequently we as Christians pray to God that our trials may be taken away, and that He would take us out of the valley of the shadow of death so that we may go on our way rejoicing and be merry little Christians for the rest of our lives. But Peter counters that view very effectively here. He makes it quite clear that we have to suffer trials, in order that our faith may be proved genuine, and that God may be glorified.
Sometimes yes, we suffer because Satan is tempting us as he did Job. Sometimes, we will suffer because of our own human stupidity and fallen nature. But always, these sufferings are meant to make us grow, to purify our hearts and burn away everything that is not of God. Therefore, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!
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