Be Still - January 15, 2023

I Peter 1: 6, 7 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 honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)

Suffering is inevitable, misery is optional!*

“It was worth it.”

Being in labor for 36 hours before delivering a healthy baby. Training 12 hours a day for the Olympics. I knew a man who claimed that being involved in a crippling car accident was worth it for the insurance settlement he got. Clearly, not all of us place the same value on the prize at the end of an ordeal.

Rejoicing is not the first thing we think of when we face life’s trials. Our usual response is, “What did I do to deserve this?” It’s actually a good idea to address that question up-front. Is your trouble a result of a poor choice? Maybe you don’t “deserve” it, but it could still be self-inflicted. Next question: Did someone else cause it? Third question: What am I going to do about it? There may be actions you can take, restitution you should make; but above all, Christians should choose to rejoice when we suffer grief and trials because:

1. Our suffering is brief (even if it lasts a lifetime, it is no time compared to eternity).

2. Grief and suffering strengthen our faith (which is more valuable and longer-lasting than gold).

3. Our faith results in praise, glory, and honor when it has been proven genuine. 

4. Jesus Christ is revealed.

No healthy, sane person chooses to suffer. But a spiritually mature person can choose his attitude about it. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4: 4)

From fiery furnaces to prison cells, over and over throughout Scripture God allowed his people to suffer, sometimes because they disobeyed him and sometimes because they didn’t.