Sharing from the WORD

1 Peter 1:6-7 Genuine Faith

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Peter, the author of 1 Peter, writes to the exiles of the early Christians who were living in the fear of persecution. In verse 6-7, he encourages them by telling them that through these trials and suffering, their faith in God is being purified. He compares it to the purification of gold and how the metal gets refined in fire as a way to get rid of the impurities. God refines our faith similarly. It is often through these trials that we see whether our faith is genuine or not. We have the choice to trust in God and surrender to Him during our hard times. (How great it is to know that we have a God who we can depend on!) He doesn’t abandon us. He doesn’t stop loving us. He doesn’t let us deal with our trials alone... even though it may seem like it at the time.

Looking back through my past hardships, my sinfulness often got in the way. I found it really hard to trust in God. My pride made me bitter towards God and I blamed Him for the pain in my life. I refused to turn to Him for strength and relied on myself instead. It is during this time where He rebuked aspects of my character that were hindering me from having genuine faith in Him like pride, impatience, and anger. Though I, a sinner, still deal with these things, my faith in God grew stronger and stronger. When dealing with spiritual battles, I feel more confident that God’s faithfulness and love are real. It is no longer something I just read about in the bible but something personal. How great it is that we can personally witness God's work in us! How great it is that we can share God's faithfulness with the people around us who are going through similar hardships and be an encouragement to them!