1 Peter 4:12-13
Can I be honest?
I don’t like trials.
They’re part of life, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t struggled with why they exist.
I mean, we serve the God of the universe! The One who created the stars, the sky, the seas, the mountains, and you and me. He’s all-powerful, all-knowing, and incapable of failure.
So why couldn’t He just make everything sunshine and lilies?
Seriously, Lord. I’m just asking.
But over time, I’ve come to understand something: God never promised us a life free from trouble. And as uncomfortable as trials are, they’re not pointless.
In John 16:33, Jesus tells His disciples that in this world, they will have trouble. Not that they might have trouble, but that they will have trouble.
Well, isn’t that encouraging? Not exactly the pep talk I was hoping for.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He tells them to take heart because He has overcome the world.
And that’s where our encouragement comes from.
In 1 Peter 4:12–13, Peter tells believers not to be surprised by fiery trials as though something strange were happening. He encourages them to rejoice as they share in Christ’s sufferings, so that they may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.
Peter was specifically addressing suffering for Christ, but his words remind us of something important: following Jesus doesn’t mean we’ll escape difficulty.
Earlier in the same letter, Peter goes even further.
In 1 Peter 1:6–7, he tells believers that for a season, “if need be,” they may be grieved by various trials, so that their faith, which is more precious than gold, may be proven genuine through fire and result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Did you catch that?
If need be.
Peter doesn’t describe trials as random. He describes them as necessary.
Gold doesn’t become pure by sitting comfortably on a shelf. It’s refined in the fire.
And so is our faith.
James 1:2–4 also tells us to consider it joy when we encounter various trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. And as perseverance completes its work, we grow toward spiritual maturity.
Now, hold on.
You mean to tell me that not only should we expect trials, but we should also consider them an opportunity for joy?
Whew, Lord.
But here’s the beauty of it.
The trial may be uncomfortable, but God can use it to develop something in us.
Patience. Endurance. Spiritual maturity. A deeper dependence on Him.
Rejoicing doesn’t mean pretending we’re not hurting. It doesn’t mean smiling through every difficulty or acting like everything is wonderful when it’s not.
It means we can have joy because our circumstances don’t get the final word. God does.
But here’s the trap I’ve had to watch out for.
We can become so accustomed to expecting something bad to happen that we stop appreciating what’s good.
Not every blessing comes with a warning label.
Just because we’re experiencing a season of peace doesn’t mean we need to start preparing for disaster.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 says that when times are good, we should be happy, and when times are bad, we should consider that God has made the one as well as the other.
Both seasons are in His hands. Neither one is an accident.
Jesus said something similar in Matthew 6:34: don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.
So enjoy the peaceful seasons. Thank God for them. Don’t allow the fear of tomorrow’s troubles to rob you of today’s blessings.
And when trials do come, remember that the same God who was faithful on the mountaintop is faithful in the valley.
No, I still don’t like trials. And I’m certainly not volunteering for any additional ones either.
But I understand now why they’re necessary.
I am learning that my joy doesn’t have to disappear just because my circumstances change.
I am learning that trials are not an interruption, but preparation.
So don’t be surprised when they come.
And whatever season you find yourself in, trust the God who remains faithful through them all.