Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial you are suffering, as though some strange thing happened to you

  The Scripture says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. And I can never quite figure out if the rain is good, or not! But in any case whether we are Christians or not life seems to be full of various kinds of trial. Other translations of this verse (1 Peter 4:12) imply that the fiery trials are there to test us. I used to jokingly say “These things are sent to try us, and they do!” But in fact our trials are pretty small compared with some of the things other people go through. In particular there is probably more persecution of Christians worldwide, than there ever was, and this verse was likely initially addressed to those who were suffering greatly for Christ. We only have to think of Christians in the arena at Rome!

In the West, our suffering is a different kind of suffering. If you talk to refugees, you will find that they are surprised when we complain at all. After all that many of them have gone through, our suffering seems to them to be trivial. In fact, it is only in a culture where there is no real fear of starvation, or of imminent death, that we can be obsessed with things such as our rights, micro-aggression or offense from hurt feelings and the like. Nevertheless this suffering can feel very real.

Whatever you happen to be suffering at the moment, if you are a Christian, then you have resources that you can tap into that the unbeliever does not have. Our God is the God of all comfort who comforts us in any trial (2 Corinthians 1:3). Furthermore Christ not only suffered for us, but he suffers with us, and our trials and difficulties have this enormous potential to draws into deeper intimacy with Him. Of course we choose how to respond to our trials. We either choose to cooperate with Him and draw close, or we finish up fighting Him. When we fight Him, we cannot enter into His comfort!

Father, You give grace in every situation. In the midst of our trials grace is available to help us choose to draw close to You. Help me to come to the place where I am offense proof, where I refuse to be offended at anything that You allow. Remind me again and again that You have promised that You are actively at work in all things for my good, because I love You, and You have called me according to Your purposes (Romans 8:28). In Jesus Name Amen