1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved [agapetos], think it [xenizo] not [me] strange [xenizo] concerning the [humin]
fiery trial [purosis] which [en] is [ginomai] to [pros] try [peirasmos] you [humin], as [hos] though some
strange thing [xenos] happened [sumbaino] unto you [humin]:
13 But [alla] rejoice [chairo], inasmuch as [katho] ye are
partakers [koinoneo] of Christ's [Christos] sufferings [pathema]; that [hina], when [en] his [autos] glory [doxa] shall be
revealed [apokalupsis], ye may be glad [chairo] also [kai] with exceeding
joy [agalliao]. KJV-Interlinear
12 Beloved, do not be surprised
at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though
some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the
sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His
glory, you may rejoice with exultation.
NASB
From the moment that
you were born into this world, life has been one trial after another. Whether you were aware of it or not, is
irrelevant, because the world represents the jungle environment in which we
live.
You may have been born
with a silver spoon or a wooden spoon, and that too is irrelevant. Life in this world is the same for everyone,
whether privileged or not.
We all face the same obligations
in life, and we all face the same tests that the world will throw at us. The only difference is, in the resources each
of us has with which to deal with life s trials.
The trials of life, are
described here as fiery ordeals.This is
not a reference to the burning of Christians in Rome, which did not even begin
for several decades after Peter wrote this.
The fiery ordeals
consist of everything that becomes a test of ones faith or spiritual
strength.For some it may be a broken
fingernail, for others it may be a ravaging cancer, or as a victim of some type
of violence.
We all have trials of
one sort or another.Most of us have
financial problems, or employment related problems, or social problems of one
type or another.
The Bible classifies
the sources of problems that you will face, in four general categories from your
own thoughts, from other people, from systems (bureaucracies, government), or
from natural or environmentally occurring disasters (weather, earthquake,
genetic, cancers, accidents, etc.).
Each of these can cause
you to fail in your spiritual life, and you will be hammered by each and every one
of these sources of trouble, throughout your entire life.
One of the biggest difficulties
that people have, is in not knowing what to do, or in doing nothing.
Prayer is good, but the
spiritual life is intended to be a proactive life, not a passive life. Need medical attention? Pray certainly, but God has already answered
your prayers.He has provided doctors,
hospitals, bandaids and so forth.Use them.
Need a job? God has provided a job for you, but you have
to answer ads, fill out applications, and go looking for it.
God has given us all an
economic system with which to earn a living, an educational system with which
to learn a trade, a medical system with which to get well, an agricultural
system with which to feed ourselves, etc., etc., etc.
As a believer in
Christ, as a human being in this devils world, you will face suffering in many
ways.And because this is the devils
world, you can count on it.And because
the vast majority of the human race subscribes to non-biblical beliefs, the
sources for trouble increase, all the more.
So do not be surprised,
when the weather fails, when economies fail, when trouble invades your
life.You do not have to be responsible
for the trouble to become its victim.In
fact most trouble will come to you, without your invitation.
You just should not
participate in the worldly systems that produce trouble, so as to become a part
of the cause of your troubles.Don t get
involved in bad politics, criminal activities, social dysfunctions, etc.
And certainly when
trouble enters into your life, do not go crying, Why me? What have I done to deserve this? God is punishing me for something I did
thirty years ago!Not fair!
And the world is not
going to be fair, ever.The world intends
to make your life either miserable or phenomenally prosperous, in order to get
you away from God, Christ, doctrine, and especially your spiritual life.
Distractions come from
all sides.The only way that you can
stay ahead of them, is to pursue your daily spiritual life, and grow up.
Jesus Christ controls
history, not Satan, not man, not the weather.
God has a plan for your life, but that plan does not function as
intended unless you are advancing in your spiritual life.
In Gods plan, you
cannot fail and the world cannot defeat you.
You will still face trouble, and you will still suffer, but all
suffering, when you are advancing in your spiritual life, is suffering for
Christ.
Use it to focus on Him,
rather than on your own selfpity.Use it
to help you advance in your spiritual life.
Use it to your advantage, and then when you finally face Christ, you
will become the recipient of the highest of honors imaginable.
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