I wanted to expand on the verse I ended with in my last post and relate it to my reflections on the past year and my hopes for the year to come.
1 Peter 1: 6-8 (NLT)
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
7 These trials will show you that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
I remember at the close of 2011 saying to Ryan that I expected, after everything we had been through the last few years, that 2012 was going to be a great year for us...we deserved it, after all. Looking back at 2012 it would be easy to assume that the exact opposite was in fact true...that 2012 could be considered the worst yet. I don't see it that way. I see it as a year filled with too many blessings to count. Am I crazy? Many in our society would definitely think I need to get a psychological evaluation. Who in their right mind would dare to say that a year in which their child was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness has been one of the best years in their lives? Maybe a deeper look into the verses above will let you in on the inner workings of my mind and spirit.
Verse 6
It starts off with the statement "be TRULY glad." Don't just seem happy on the outside...be grateful and joyous on the inside, no matter what you are facing at the current time. Why? Look ahead. Even though things may be tough at this point in time, it is temporary. If you are truly saved, there is so much to look forward to.
(I use commentaries occasionally in my personal Bible studies and following is taken from "The Bible Knowledge Commentary")
A living hope results in a present joy. Peter encouraged his readers to put their knowledge into practice. Knowledge alone cannot produce the great joy of experiential security and freedom from fear in the face of persecution. Meaning, we can study the Bible and go to church and gain tons of knowledge, but the best lessons are learned through experience and leaning on the Lord through the tough times. That will strengthen our faith.
Christians are responsible to respond in faith. Faith turns sound doctrine into sound practice. Faith acts on the content of theology (knowledge of the Word) and produces conduct that corresponds to that content. Faith makes theological security experiential. This kind of faith or living hope can enable believers to rejoice even when they are called on to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
Peter stressed that a Christian's joy is independent of their circumstances.
Verse 7
First off I notice the wording, "These trials will show you that your faith is genuine." To me that means that when we face trials it is because we need to realize that our faith is real. God already knows that we are truly faithful. He doesn't use our difficulties to show Himself that we are faithful. It is to prove to us that we have the strength to endure bad times if only we will trust and lean completely on Him. I find that truly awe inspiring!
These various trials have two results: (a) they refine or purify one's faith, and (b) trials prove the reality of one's faith. Stress deepens and strengthens a Christian's faith and lets its reality be displayed (for all the world to see!).
Genuine faith is not only of ultimate value to its possessor, but it will also bring praise, glory and honor to the One whose name Christians bear.
Verse 8
Here is the climax of experiential joy that results from faith. God accomplished salvation through the work of His Son Jesus Christ. So the focus of a believer's faith is not on abstract knowledge but on the person of Christ. Peter's warm heart overflowed as he spoke of the love and belief in Christ of those who, unlike himself, did not see Jesus when he walked on earth. Though Christians do not now see Him, like Peter they love and believe in Him, and are also filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Even though we have never seen Him, we, as Christians, are to love Christ and who He is; what He has done for all humanity and what He continues to do for us every hour of every day. It reminds me of the verses from James 2:18-19: 18 But someone will say, "you have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. It is not enough to believe that Jesus existed and is the Son of God. True faith involves a hunger/thirst for a deeper knowledge in the person of Jesus Christ. It involves total dependence on the Lord in good times and in bad times. But we don't need to prove our faith to God. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We show our faith by our actions. Our acts of faith are for our personal benefit and for the benefit of others. Without the Lord physically on the earth, how else are others supposed to learn about Him?
In conclusion, what are my hopes and dreams for 2013? At this point, I am not afraid of anything that might happen to come my way. One thing I have learned over the last year is that tough times are for my benefit and are awesome opportunities to bring glory to God. My hope is that my loved ones, my friends, my acquaintances, and even complete strangers can see my faith in the Lord; that it exudes from everything that I do. I also hope that everyone is drawn to the Lord and that they learn to find the joy that can come through complete dependence on Him in any circumstance.
