Text – 1 Peter 1:6-7 – “At present, you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials. This is no accident. It happens to prove your faith which is infinitely more valuable than gold.”
Dearly beloved, we are in days where Christians no longer embrace trials, temptations and persecution in light of scriptures. Bible says when we face these “temporary harassment's”, we should greatly rejoice, because “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”.
It is very important to note that in the parable of the sower, as seen in Mark 14, Jesus explained that two of the three soils that yielded no fruit represent people who did not know how to handle the temporary harassment's of this life.
In Mark 4:16-17, Jesus explained that the seeds sown on stony ground represent those who receive the word of God with gladness when they heard it, but because the word is not deeply rooted in them, when temporary harassment's (affliction or persecution) come, they fall away.
In Mark 4:18-19, Jesus further explained that the seeds sown among thorns represent those who received the word of God, but then allow, among other things, the cares of the world (the worries of this life) to choke out the word in their lives, so that it does not bear fruit unto eternal life.
Typically, we have the tendency to query two things when we are faced with intense trial and persecution:
1. God’s sovereign control over circumstances – We may begin to ask questions like, “Where is God in all this?”
2. God’s concern for us – We may also ask, “If God really cares about me, then why is this happening to me?”
Instead of querying God’s sovereignty, and His loving care, which are emphatic teachings of the Bible (1 Peter 5:6-7), we are to rather understand that we live a transitory life with our eyes on the life eternal. Bible teaches that the visible things of this life are transitory: it is the invisible things of eternity that are really permanent.
I’ll close with these words of Apostle Paul, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
“This is the reason why we never loose heart. The outward man does indeed suffer wear and tear, but every day the inward man receives fresh strength. These little troubles (which are really so transitory) are winning for us a permanent, glorious and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain. For we are looking all the time, not at the visible things, but at the invisible. The visible things are transitory: it is the invisible things that are really permanent.”
PRAYERS
1. I refuse to succumb to the temporary harassment's of this life. Lord Jesus, I keep my eyes fixed on you; the author and finisher of my Faith.
2. Lord, I take my stand firmly on your word, that you are for me, and that you care for me, so I cast all my cares upon you today.
3. Father, I ask that you give me the grace to understand the transitory nature of this present life, and to always keep my eyes on the life eternal.
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