Lets start with reading a passage out of the Bible:

1PE 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. So what does this tell us?

It tells us several things:

It tells us we should praise God, because in his mercy he has given us a chance at a new birth through the resurrection of Jesus. Meaning if we are born again (receive Jesus as personal Lord and Savior) we can have living hope.

In other words we can hope to live forever. It says we have an inheritance that can never perish in heaven and through faith we are shielded by God's power..

So what is up with the next two verses?

1PE 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 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.

Also another Scripture:

JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Okay we where just told that through our faith God shields us. Now you look at these next two verses and you find out that we are going to face all kinds of grief and trials.

It also tells us to rejoice and consider it joy. Why would God who can shield us from all this, make us go through struggles and ask us to enjoy it? I think there is a lot more to it then meets the eye.

For one I don't think we are suppose to put on our happy face and no matter what happens walk around with a smile on our face. God wants us, just like it says, to become mature and complete. He tests our faith so we become stronger and we won't cave in at the first sign of trouble.

What usually happens is that after we go through a struggle we can look back and see how God helped us and because of this it makes us stronger. It makes our faith stronger and we can rely more and more on God.

So if we stand up to grief and trials, here is what we are promised:

1PE 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. It says we are filled with an inexpressible joy because of our faith, we receive salvation for our souls. So is everything we face a trial or tribulation? Lets read this next verse: JN 16:33 "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." I think this tells us that there will be struggles as long as we live here. Even everyday struggles can help strengthen us. Then what did we learn in this? We know we will have trials and tribulations while we live here.

Not all struggles are trials and tribulations, some of it is just part of live.

God will use this to strengthen us and bring us closer to him. If we trust God we are promised joy and your faith will become stronger and stronger.


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