In this post you will find a well-developed study supported by verses to encourage in the middle of the tests. Perhaps being encouraged and joyful in the midst of difficult circumstances is not easy, but in the word of God are the keys to understanding God’s purposes and thus rejoice in what we live, because nothing happens that he is not present giving us strength and encouragement .
Have courage in the midst of trials (1 Peter 1:6-9)
In this you greatly rejoice, although now for a moment you have had to suffer pain in all kinds of trials. These have come so that their faith – of greater value than gold, which perishes though refined by fire – may be proven genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen it, you love it; and although you do not see it now, you believe in it and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9
What are common responses to suffering?
In this epistle, Peter is writing to the Christians who are scattered throughout Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. They had been scattered because of the persecution that came from Rome. These believers were being persecuted for following Christ; they were being persecuted for being different. He writes to encourage them. He listens to what he says:
Peter says that it is possible for these believers to have both joy and pain in the midst of their trials. This verse can also be translated as a commandment: “be glad about this“. The believers were suffering in all kinds of trials. The types of words can be translated as “various or multicolored.” Some, no doubt, had lost their land, their loved ones, and their careers, and yet, Peter says, they still they can have great joy in the midst of these multicolored trials.
What is the secret of having joy in trials?
- What is the secret for a Christian to have joy while suffering from bankruptcy, cancer, or even loss? Is it realistic that both joy and pain can exist together?
- Looking at the scriptures, we see that Peter is not the only writer who teaches this seeming paradox. Paul actually lived it. Look what Paul said about his trials in:
- Paul said that he was both “sad” and still “rejoicing.” To be encouraged and joyful in trials is not to deny pain, it is to acknowledge the fact that they can exist together. They can coexist in the same way that a pregnant mother can go through labor and still have joy at the thought of what is to come. She is overjoyed that she has the “right focus” in considering this new baby to be born into the world. In the same way, believers must have the right focus to have joy in their multicolored trials.
14 Keys to have joy in the midst of trials
Great question: What does Peter teach as secrets to joy in the midst of trials? How can we live this kind of Christian life in the various multicolored trials we go through? Here are 14 keys that define the verses to encourage us in the midst of trials:
1.- Focus on the benefits of salvation
- In this you greatly rejoice, although now for a while you have had to suffer pain in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:6 What does Peter mean when he says in “this” you rejoice greatly?
- In the stream of thought, this is pointing back to our new birth and inheritance in heaven in verses 3-5. Listen to what he says in the above verses.
- Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, be emptied or fade away, kept in heaven for you, who by faith you are shielded by the power of God until the coming of salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5
2.- We rejoice in our new birth.
Peter says that we have been given a new birth (v. 3) into a living hope through the risen Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the fact that we are new and we are no longer the same. There was a time when we were dead to God, but now we are alive to him. We are alive to his Word, alive to adore, alive to one another, where before we were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2, 1-5). This is something in which
we can rejoice even in the midst of trials. But it’s not that. Peter says there’s more.
3.- We rejoice in our spotless inheritance.
With this new birth, we receive an inheritance in heaven (v. 4). Jesus said in his high priesthood prayer in John 17:22 that the glory he had in heaven has been shared with us. Romans 8:17 declares that we are joint-heirs with Christ, and therefore what is the Son’s is ours.
In fact, in some ways, we now benefit from this heritage. Ephesians 1:3 says that we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. Ephesians 2:6 says that we are seated in heavenly places with Christ.
This means that Christ is ruling in heaven but we are there in spirit with him. All that is yours is ours; we are joint heirs This is a phenomenal concept, in fact, God is preserving this heritage from rotting or being stolen, even right now.
Let us hear that this inheritance is not only heavenly, but it will be earthly, Jesus declared that the “meek” “shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5,5). There are many people in this life who never receive their natural inheritance, perhaps they do not receive it because the inheritance is lost or its value changes, but the inheritance that Peter refers to can never perish, spoil or vanish and God is protecting it forever. For us, that is something we can rejoice in, even when our natural heritage is taken from us.
4.- We rejoice in our eternal security.
Some people stay away from their inheritance because of their own death. Peter says that this is not true of the believer; although the believer may die, we are being built by the power of God until the coming of salvation (v. 5). Now this is something that only those who understand the reality that God is guarding the salvation of every believer can truly rejoice in. I have met many young Christians who have lost their joy or even fallen into spiritual depression, thinking that they had sinned in such a way that they had lost their salvation.
Listen, if you are truly born again, you are kept by the power of God “until the coming of salvation” which will be “revealed” at the coming of Christ (1 Peter 1:5) and not by the power of your faith. God is the one who gives you faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and he is the one who keeps it.
The promise of Romans 8:28 is only true if our salvation and inheritance are assured; only then can all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord.
This is a wonderful truth for us, and it is one that we must focus on in the multicolored trials that we may go through. We can focus on our inheritance and security in heaven. Too many Christians do not focus on the benefits of their salvation, and therefore have lost their joy when their inheritance on earth is affected.
Scripture says that we are to “rejoice in this” (1 Peter 1:6). We must rejoice in all the benefits of our coming salvation. This is how Paul was able to suffer and still be joyful (2 Cor 6, 10); his salvation was always on his mind and he did not lose focus on her.
Why do so many Christians miss out on this joy in their salvation that should sustain them through trials?
It is quite possible for Christians to lose the joy of their salvation, we see evidence of this with David. Look what he prayed for in Psalm 51:12: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a spirit willing to sustain me” (emphasis mine). Why had David lost the joy of his salvation? The Psalm tells us that he was because of sin. “Against you, against you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified when you speak, and justified when you judge” (Ps 51:4).
Listen, many of us have lost our joy, the heavens are our heritage, and the earth will be one day too, yet many of us walk around with sadness, anger, and depression. Why is that? It is because sin has taken away our joy. It can be a personal sin, like with David. It can be the sin of a wrong approach, focusing on the things of the world, the economy and the problems of life. The Scriptures command us to “think of good things.”
5.- Paul saw his trials as short and momentary
Listen to what Paul says: Finally, brothers, everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is right, everything that is pure, everything that is beautiful, everything that is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think of such things.
Many of us have lost our joy because we have sinned by losing the right focus. What should we do if we have lost it? (1) We must confess our sins and turn from them. (2) We must regain our focus on Christ and the inheritance he is bringing in his revelation.
One of the things I like about 1 Peter is its focus on the gospel and having joy in our salvation. He has brought us back to basics, in fact, one of the things I respect about the Reformed tradition is his focus on the gospel as well.
I don’t come from a fully Reformed background, as you know, Reformed people see the main theme of scripture as “redemption”, and therefore in many of their sermons they go back to the gospel because they see everything related to the gospel. I feel like Peter is doing that here: he brings us back to the gospel; he brings us back to our salvation. It is very important because it is very easy to lose the joy that should be ours.
How can we be encouraged in the midst of our trials? We do that by rejoicing in the benefits of our salvation. We have experienced the new birth. We have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven, and our salvation is secure because God is protecting it for us. In what ways have you experienced the loss of joy in your salvation? Why did you lose it? How can we try harder to maintain it?
6.- Focus on eternity
Later, he says that the tests are only for “a little while.” Now, for some of us who have been through a difficult situation for six months, a year or ten years, the moment may not seem short at all. Maybe we’ve been in a bad marriage or dealing with a difficult boss or some kind of persecution. In what way is this temporary?
It is temporary, not only because it will end in time, but it is a “little time” compared to the salvation and inheritance you will experience for eternity. That is the context in the previous verses (1 Peter 3-5). Paul said something similar in 2 Corinthians…