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Rejoice in Trials | Kim Chipman
S~ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:6 (NIV)
O~ “in all this you greatly rejoice” – in all what??
*in His great mercy (v3)
*He has given us new birth into a living hope (v3)
*an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade (v4)
*inheritance kept in heaven for you (v4)
*shielded by God’s power
A~ So I’ve been in a funk a little bit and I think it’s because my focus is off. You tell me over and over again that in this world we WILL have trouble (John 16:33) and we will suffer trials. The thing is that keeping my focus on the eternal – Your mercy, Your promises, hope and security in You – brings joy and rejoicing!
My kids activities have rearranged a bit and it’s really thrown me for a loop. As the Mama I get invested and form relationships surrounding their activities as well. I spend a significant amount of time, money, and energy on their passions also. Giving rides, holding down bleachers, traveling to meets and competitions, watching practices, cheering at games…building treasured friendships with other parents doing the same… I’ve been having a bit of an identity crisis about the whole thing, but this helps my perspective. EVERYTHING here is temporary. Everything. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6b. I can do that in any place You put me. I can choose to rejoice in your mercy and promises, remembering that this is all temporary and really just the vehicle to walk out my faith and trust in You so You can be revealed in and through me. My identity is Your child, not some of the things I unknowingly have seen as my identity.
The trials do have purpose…refining purpose… These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed… for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:7, 9b
P~ Thank You for meeting me here in my mess and reminding me what is truly important. I needed this perspective today. Help me to focus my thoughts on You so You will be glorified and my faith will grow stronger. I love You so much!
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