Read 1 Peter 1:1-9
Let there be no doubt, we are reading a letter from Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ! We get a glimpse at what Peter wants us to know about our Christian walk. As you read Peter’s words, don’t forget he spent time in Jesus’ presence! The extreme authority this letter carries is for us and other Christians struggling with their faith. Are you ready to dig into the wisdom Peter is about to share?
Peter likely wrote this letter from Rome. Throughout the Roman Empire, Christians were being tortured and killed for their faith, and the church was being scattered. These new Christians were in an “exile” of sorts from all that they knew, as aliens living in foreign lands. I know what it feels like to be living in a different culture; and we’ve known people who are never able to adjust. Peter’s greeting is very encouraging when he says, “May God give you more and more grace and peace.”
When you think of it, God’s grace and peace are two very precious commodities. Why is it we often take them for granted? Think how much easier yesterday or last week would have gone for you with a little more grace and peace! Peter knew these encouraging words would come in handy to help Christians face the opposition they would encounter. Have you ever faced opposition from friends, family, or others for your faith? It doesn’t feel good, does it?
To stand firm in our faith, Peter says we should live with “great expectation” of our future. When you have a relationship with Jesus and understand what that means, you can’t help but anticipate with great excitement what your salvation will be like. It’s good for us to remember no matter where we live on earth, we are only foreigners passing through. Our final destination, our “priceless inheritance,” is to spend eternity in the presence of God! That promise can keep us going through a lot of suffering.
Peter is clear that there will be struggles for us as believers. Don’t ever think of these trials as a “pass/fail exam” to be accepted by God. Peter’s words are not meant to scare us or deter our faith, but to give us the awareness we need to prepare for all the confrontations we are likely to encounter. It’s always better to be prepared, right? We all know how cruel the world can be—the world being the personification of evil and how it manipulates us.
Let Peter’s words of blessing assure you; he even suggests we be “truly glad” when he says, “There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” Don’t forget our trials are NOT forever. Some might even suggest that we can maintain our “joy” even amidst the struggle—joy in the Lord that is. Jesus’ own brother told us in James 1:2, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
Peter knows firsthand about trials and sorrows and is probably remembering Jesus’ own words to him and the others from John 16:33: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Even Jesus told us it would not be smooth sailing. Those powerful words come from his discussion about joy. The joy for us is that Jesus has us covered! He has overcome the sinful world!
Think about some of the trials you’ve gone through in your lifetime. Did they make you stronger? Looking back, can you see God at work refining you? Peter uses the example of refining gold as a great picture for us to imagine when going through a tough time. Brian Doerksen wrote a beautiful song called “Refiner’s Fire” with lyrics by my favorite worship leader, Chris Tomlin. Here’s a sampling of the words from that song.
Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Enjoy the whole song here and make it the cry of your heart.
We need to persevere in the good and bad times, always keeping our eyes on Jesus. Let’s strive to never let our trust in Jesus falter. Peter sums it up nicely for us in verse 9. “The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” That’s the best gift of all!
Let’s pray. Lord, I trust you with my life. I want to be the best I can be for you. Purify my heart so I’ll be ready to do your will. Thank you for how you’ve always walked with me through all the fires of life. Help me to learn from those times of testing and trials. Thank you that I can cling to you and the joy and peace you bring amidst the storms of life. Open my eyes to see what you have for me today. Set me apart for you. I’m ready. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
