Day 2: I Gar-on-tee! (said by Justin Wilson/AKA Cajun style)
I Peter 4:12 NLT Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.”
Advertisements offer us quick fixes, magic potions and easy ways to accomplish almost anything from weight loss to finding a mate, all with a money back guarantee. In desperation, many buy these offers. But these external and fleeting fixes are just “happenings,” and nothing compared to what endures in Christ. There is no other true guarantee.
Benjamin Franklin wrote, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” We can expect many changes at we “adult” and live life. We change as we grow physically; the world changes as time moves forward and circumstances change as life happens. Yes, change is also inevitable and a type of guarantee.
Yesterday we learned that suffering is also guaranteed. Today’s verse reminds us that we shouldn’t be surprised by the fiery trials of this life as if it was something unusual. In verse 13 it even states we are to be “glad, very glad” when we are facing fiery trials and change. I don’t know about you, but I struggle with verse 13. I am glad that God warns me that we’ll have fiery trials, but it’s difficult to say, “I’m happy/ecstatic about trials”. To understand this concept, we need to realize that the trials, or burning away of what weighs us down is part of the Christian life.
As believers in Christ, we know that God is with us and will never leave or forsake us (Romans 8:38). We know the victory over death has been won and this is what should bring us joy or gladness. Knowing that, we’ll come through the fiery trial better people because of the fire. God guarantees that we will bounce back from our trials if we trust in Him. We will not only bounce back. We’ll have joy, resilience and abundant life as our faith is strengthened through trials.
This analogy might help. Imagine you are stacking firewood because you need fire for heat and to survive. You need to cut, load and bring in the wood. In the process you sometimes pinch a finger, get a sliver or even drop a piece on your foot. These “happenings” are often part of the deal. A sliver hurts, and if not taken out even a tiny piece can hurt when bumped or brushed over. To get rid of the pain and heal, the piece of wood must be removed. This can be a painful process; you dig it out with a pin or a needle, then tweeze or pull it out. Your finger will bleed, but the source of the pain is gone. It is at this point that you are glad and happy. Despite the discomfort, your hand is better off without the sliver. Get what I’m saying? Can you apply that to our verse for today?
If we trust God, we know the fiery trial (AKA sliver from loading wood) will come. It’s not something new and it can happen repeatedly when handling wood – living this life. We don’t know when it will happen, and we can become more resilient to face it. Slivers happen even when we wear gloves. We can know that once the trial has passed and the sliver has been removed, we will have joy, we will be glad! Our finger doesn’t hurt! The removal process is painful and may take a bit of time and digging, but it is needed to get to the healing and the joy after it is removed.
Resilient people suffer well. Because they embrace all of life (the chopping of wood, the occasional slivers), they even cultivate an attitude of “Bring It!” or “Let’s Do This!”. As Dr. Bennett says in “Raw Coping Power,” we can become “audacious” or have a positive audacity. We can go against social expectations and “work through, have zest and vigor to fully welcome” the trial. We as Christians can tap into the most resilient person who ever lived, Jesus Christ. He lived every fiery trial we could ever face and did not sin. He conquered death by defeating the devil.
Prayer: Father in heaven, help me to see the trials on this earth as a way that my faith is tested and strengthened. I know that you are with me, even in a trial when I might feel forsaken. Help me Lord to be glad, very glad that I know you are with me no matter what fiery trial comes my way and that I will be a more resilient person through the process. Amen.
