“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.”
In verse 12 Peter describes trials as “firey” Think of fire as something that purifies. Just like gold is refined by fire, trials are a way of purifying the church and us as believers. Throughout history, when the church faced persecution, it often grew stronger, like in the book of Acts where the church spread rapidly despite the challenges.
Trials test us both as a church community and as individuals. They push us to ask some important questions:
These tough moments help us find out if we’re really willing to follow Him no matter the cost. And for true believers, trials bring out a deeper, more solid "YES" to all of these questions.
When we go through trials and come out on the other side, our faith doesn’t just stay in our heads; it becomes something real, something we live out. These moments strengthen our commitment to God and make our faith more personal and tangible.
Peter goes on by telling us to rejoice! Because trials help strengthen our faith, we should actually rejoice when we face them.
Romans 5:3-5 – Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
We have every reason to rejoice despite suffering, this is something the world doesn’t have, this is something beyond understanding, this is just one reason God is so good despite bad things happening .