In all 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 the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
In the verses preceding these two, Peter had expressed that God has given us new birth into a living hope. And that hope includes an inheritance kept in heaven for us and a salvation that will be revealed in the last time. And, because of that hope, we can, and should, greatly rejoice.
Yet, even though we rejoice in the hope we have, we may well be suffering through trials. But Peter’s words here can help us to keep a proper perspective on the trials we face. The trials are temporary; they will not last. Nor do they take away from the salvation that awaits us and our eternal inheritance. We can rejoice in the hope we have, no matter what happens to us here.
Peter compares our trials to a refiner’s fire that purifies gold. The fire burns off the impurities, leaving behind pure gold. The trials we face do a similar thing. They demonstrate the genuineness of our faith. And that, in turn, will result in praise, honor, and glory when Jesus returns for us (Matt. 25:21). The trials we may face in this life are not pleasant. But regardless, we can rejoice in the midst of our trials. The hope we have is greater than any temporary trials we face in this short life.
Thank you, thank you, for simplifying the verses for someone like me. I want to be one of your subscribers.
I am glad you find it helpful. I have subscribed you to A Clay Jar. You should receive an email nearly every day.