Read 1 Pet. 1:6-16
Peter agrees with James that the way through trials is by rejoicing. “Rejoicing” in the Greek means to jump for joy and be exceedingly joyful. Trials only last for a season so why waste the time being melancholy when you can rejoice and be glad. Trials are to be treasured above gold that doesn’t last. Gold won’t buy us a place in God’s heart, but the way we go through a trial will. It gives honor and glory to Jesus. Even though we don’t see Jesus we can rejoice and be glad about what he is going to do for us. In the same way, we might not see how our trial is ever going to work out for good but we can rejoice trusting it will. In the end we will gain eternal life and no trial can take that away from us. We live in the season of grace, but the prophets could only prophecy about it. They could only imagine what it would look like and I know they didn’t imagine it like it is. We read about heaven and can only imagine what it will be like, but I know our imaginations are limited and not accurate. Jesus told the disciples about the glory that would come to those who suffer for Christ so that we could benefit from that now. We have been given the Holy Spirit, which they didn’t have until Pentecost. We take for granted the whisper of God in our ears leading us the right way. The men of the Old Testament didn’t know this voice and only had the law and the prophets to be their guide. Because we have been given the Word, the Prophets, the Cross, and the Holy Spirit, we have a greater responsibility to walk with God in truth. We are to be holy as God is holy because we have been given everything we need to do that.
Lord, help us to walk in the full revelation you have given us. Bring back to our hearts the things we have heard and help us to live them.
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