by Gary DeLashmutt
On Wednesday, I posted the first half of Gary's teaching on 1 Peter 1. Today, he concludes with this.
1 Peter 1:6,7 speaks of another aspect of God’s grace that enables us to have joy in the midst of suffering:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 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, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
God is refining us through our sufferings. Peter likens our sufferings to the fire used by a goldsmith to purify his gold. A goldsmith begins with gold ore that is a mixture of pure gold and dross. By repeatedly putting the ore into fire, the dross is gradually burned off and the gold is gradually purified and he can see his reflection more and more clearly in the gold.
God is like the goldsmith—not that he causes specific sufferings in our lives, but that he is working skillfully (and mysteriously) through them to refine our faith so that the character of Jesus is increasingly reflected in us. This is for our good, because we were redeemed to become like Jesus. And it is so that God may attract others to Jesus through us as they see the integrity and love that comes from faith in him.
So we can rejoice in the midst of our sufferings, not only because we will soon receive our inheritance, but also because God is accomplishing something wonderful through them. Through this “fire” he reveals the dross in our faith—the false things we depend upon for our security and identity and significance. And through this “fire” burns away this dross and deepens our trust in him alone for these needs.
For example, I may think that I depend on God alone for my material security—but I may in fact be primarily dependent on my career and income. What reveals this dross and moves me to depend more deeply on God’s love? Often, it is the “fire” of job loss or reduced income or unexpected bills.
Or I may think that I depend on God alone for my self-worth—but I may in fact be primarily dependent on certain people’s approval and praise. What reveals this dross and moves me to depend more deeply on God’s love? Often, it is the “fire” of these people’s criticism or even their rejection.
Or I may think that I depend on God alone for my significance—but I may in fact be primarily dependent on getting people to respond to my attempts to influence them spiritually. What reveals this dross and moves me to depend more deeply on God’s love alone? Often, it is the “fire” of failure in our attempts at spiritually influence.
God knows the true state of our faith, and God in his wisdom is working through the “fire” of suffering to purify it more and more. He has staked his reputation on us (which I will never understand!), and he will work as a wise goldsmith to refine our faith.
“We should not be . . . too taken aback when unexpected and upsetting and discouraging things happen to us now. What do they mean? Why, simply that God in his wisdom means to make something of us which we have not attained yet, and is dealing with us accordingly. Perhaps he means to strengthen us in patience, good humor, compassion, humility, or meekness, by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under specially difficult conditions. Perhaps he has new lessons in self-denial and self-distrust to teach us. Perhaps he wishes to break us of complacency, or unreality, or undetected forms of pride and conceit . . . . Perhaps his purpose is to draw us closer to himself in conscious communion with him; for it is often the case . . . that fellowship with (God) is most vivid and sweet, and Christian joy is greatest, when the cross is heaviest. Or perhaps God is preparing us for forms of service of which at present we have no inkling.”[1]
Have you embraced God’s purpose for your life, or are you still trying to get God to fulfill your purpose? If you haven’t embraced his purpose for your life, his “fire” will seem cruel and this will only add to the pain to your sufferings. But if embrace his purpose and give yourself into his fashioning hands, his Spirit will ignite joy in your heart that outweighs the pain of the “fire!”
If you belong to Jesus Christ, God is in control over your sufferings. Nothing comes into your life without first passing through his wise and loving hands. It may appear that everything is out of control, and you are plummeting to earth without a parachute. It may feel like your adverse circumstances are undermining and destroying your faith. But God is your goldsmith, working carefully and perfectly through these distressing sufferings to burn away the dross and purify (and deepen) your faith so that the reflection of his Son is seen more and more clearly in and through you. Each and every suffering is part of this process, burning away more and more of your “false trusts” (which only deceive and corrupt), and making you more truly dependent on and confident in the God who loves you. This is true even when you can’t see at the time what dross he is burning away. Affirm this daily, give yourself to him and his purpose daily—and his Spirit will cause joy to ignite and flare up in your heart.
[1] J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1975), p. 86.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment