Expected Trials
Got a fiery one for you today
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Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:12 (NET)
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I came across this one in my Sunday School class.
Historically speaking, the persecution that Peter was referring to was probably that the Christians were being blamed for fires that were happening across Roman cities.
They were also being executed and burned as punishment.
So, a literal trial by fire.
Of course, Peter says this as though they should expect trials.
Why?
Well, of course, the founder of our faith — Christ himself — was executed after an (illegal) trial.
If we are to be imitators of Christ, and follow in His footsteps, then we should expect trials. Not that these trials necessarily mean physical torment & death. But they could be that.
The world — and the Enemy that temporarily rules it — hates us believers.
Our very existence reminds the Enemy of what he & his minions have lost. We remind him of Christ and that infuriates him.
We should expect this hatred to spill over into our lives and see negative things because of it.
Trials.
Yet we should count it joy to be considered worthy to face trials because it means we look so much like Christ.
The testing of our faith produces steadfastness. It leads us to maturity so that we can be made complete, lacking in nothing.
I’m constantly amazed how God can turn such negatives into positives.
He’s such a creative God.
— Ricky Ketchum
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