Life's Trials Explained

1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given

us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by Gods power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer

grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faithof greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by firemay result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

In every person's life, there will be struggles, hard times, and pain.

While the purpose of these difficulties may not be immediately evident, God has a plan and use for each one.

What blurs our understanding of His purpose in our hardships?

1. The nature of adversity - Sometimes we get so distracted by the events around us that we can't see God's purpose in our struggle.
2. The timing of our hardship - God's schedule is often different from ours.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to us?

A] To purify us. B] To test our faith - Untried faith is unreliable faith. Circumstances are less likely to devastate us if we're rooted in the Lord. C] To bring us closer to Him. D] To give God the opportunity to demonstrate His love for us. E] To conform us to Jesus' likeness - The more we experience hardships, the more our character resembles Christ.

What process is God using in our lives during trials?

1] He limits trials - No matter how big the situation may seem, God is completely in control of every aspect. 2] He designs challenges for each individual. God tailor-makes every situation we deal with to suit our knowledge, experience, and current circumstances.

3] He allows difficulties to be progressive and uses them to help us grow. When we begin to examine and better understand His ways, we stop worrying. Then, we're able to live up to our potential.

In times of trials and struggles, we have a choice to make. How will we respond to our hardships: by moping and whining, or by saying, "Lord, I am thankful that You love me enough to trust me with this situation"?

Remember: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Let Us Pray!