Contributor:
Chad Roberts

In this you rejoice; though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6

When writing to suffering Christians who had been exiled for their faith, Peter reminds them that their suffering is not meaningless, but is actually necessary to growing their faith. I want to remind you of the same. The hurts and afflictions you face are working for your good.

Each of us know suffering in some way or another. We have all experienced loss, we each know pain and for the majority of us, we have questioned God as to why He would allow some of those heartaches to touch our lives.

I want to encourage you to consider closely the words of the Apostle Peter to these suffering believers and allow God’s Word to strengthen your faith, even if you are in the midst of a fierce trial. Let us unfold this verse phrase by phrase and understand what the Lord is saying to His people.

In This You Rejoice
Can you rejoice in the season of life you are in? If you carefully study what the Bible says about rejoicing, you will find that it does not instruct us to rejoice in good times alone. Instead, it commands us to rejoice at all times, both good and bad, triumphs and tests.

Isaiah 61:10 helps us shape a good perspective. It says, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exalt in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness…” Our rejoicing is not circumstance based. Rather, it comes from the knowledge of what God has done for our souls in salvation. How can I allow the pressures of life, or the disappointments of life or even the misfortunes of life weigh me down when I can exalt the Lord with my soul?

Jesus reminds us to, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Can you see how minuscule the affairs of this life are compared to eternity?

When a Christ follower can rejoice over the eternal blessings of God like salvation and righteousness, we can then face whatever life throws at us. This is why Paul could say confidently, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Even in suffering, Paul rejoiced, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” (Romans 53).

The point is that suffering in this life is not meaningless. Our experiences matter because God is producing something in us. Paul called it, the “Weight of glory.” Note 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Again, Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). What sweet words from the Word of God! The last two Scriptures were such a comfort to me when my dad passed. He suffered so much in his physical body. Yet I believe what the Bible says, my dad is now experiencing the weight of God’s glory for all eternity.

Do you consider, as Paul did, what God is doing with your present circumstances? Are you counting them as joy as James 1:2 instructs? Don’t waste your current affliction. Instead, get out of it all that God has for you. It it with this type of thinking you can rejoice. Remind yourself that whatever situation God allows, whatever circumstance He appoints, He will strengthen you through it. How can we not rejoice when we consider God’s sovereignty over every aspect of life?

Though Now for a Little While
How thankful I am that trials do not last. While some testings are longer than others, they do not all last. Whatever difficulty you are facing, rest assured that it is only for an appointed season.

When teaching the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18, Jesus reminds us that when we need God to come through, He will, but He is also coming to our aid, “quickly” (Luke 18:8). When we face seasons of affliction, it can seem that God is slow to answer prayer, but rest assured He isn’t! Remember Psalm 145:18, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call out to him in truth.”

If Necessary
Perhaps the most difficult part of this verse to lay hold of is the small phrase, “If necessary.” Peter is reminding these suffering saints that their afflictions are necessary to their spiritual growth. In the next verse, he states why our sufferings are necessary, “So that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes through it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Can you see that God is working through your afflictions? It is easy to blame the Lord for our troubles, because we know He could prevent them. But the wise Christian will pause and consider why these difficulties are necessary for our growth.

The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly is a painful experience. When they enter the cocoon, there is no turning back until that transformation is complete. Even if you see a caterpillar struggling in a cocoon, you cannot release it. If you do, the caterpillar will eventually die. It must go through the painful cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly.

Do not despise the Lord for your sufferings. Your cocoon may seem painful, but it is necessary for you to be who God intends you to be. Rest in Him, trust the process and look to His sovereignty. What is painful is always profitable.

Grieved by Various Trials
Trials are sent by God to make us better. However, do not confuse trials with temptations. Warren Wiersbe teaches that temptations originate from within, are sent by Satan and designed to cause us to fall. However, trials originate from the outside circumstances of life, are sent by God and are designed to cause us to grow!

According to James 1:13, God will never tempt His children with sin, but He will give us trials. As you know, in life there are many different types of trials. There are spiritual trials, relationship trials, financial trials, health trials and many others. Peter calls them, “Various” because they vary in nature.

I love the word various because it reminds me that it does not matter what type of trial I face, God is able to help me. The trials may vary, but His grace is consistent through it all. God promises us, just as He did the Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).