I try to live my life in such a way that people see that I have good life that has been blessed by God. Yes, at times I'm stressed and when I get so many things going on at once, and that often shows but it's just tough to be pulled in multiple directions and not have some wear and tear from it. The Bible does not teach us that our lives as a Christian will be easy, quite the contrary. So when we are faced with trials and junk in our lives, how do we deal with it? 1 Peter 4:12-19 gives us a guide on how to handle hard times.
1. We should expect persecution. V. 12 tells us "do not be surprised at the fiery trial". We cannot live our lives in fear every moment but we are being warned that at times bad things will happen in life. We won't always have the answers but we need to be preparing ourselves daily for potential attack because we don't know when it's coming. That is done through Bible study and prayer.
2. We should rejoice in persecution. Vs. 13-14 tell us that by being persecuted for our faith, we are partnering in the same kind of suffering as Jesus, suffering for doing what is right. Right now Jesus is glorified in heaven, but one day His glory will be revealed on earth. Having that awareness of future joy during our trials allows us to rejoice even during this present time. We are told here that being "insulted for the name of Christ", whether that be for being a representative of Christ or for proclaiming His word, that we will be blessed. Hearing that I could be blessed gives me reason to rejoice, how about you?
3. We should evaluate its cause. Vs. 15-18 tell us that we should not live our lives as meddlers, being involved in matters that can be disruptive. John McArthur says "As a general rule, a Christian living in a non-Christian culture is to do his work faithfully, exalt Jesus Christ, and live a virtuous life, rather than try to overturn or disrupt his culture." Peter discusses the judgment coming upon the church, not condemnation, but the purifying of the church by God's hands. If God will so strongly judge the church, which he loves, how harsh will his judgment be on the ungodly (17)? Peter refers back to Proverbs 11:31 asking again "If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner?" Why are we facing this trial? God uses storms and obstacles in our lives to either correct us, discipline us for not following him; or to perfect us, make us better and more capable of following Him.
4. We should entrust it to God. V. 19 reiterates the fact that we should "entrust" our souls to the Creator. Entrust was a banking term that means "to deposit for safekeeping". And Peter used Creator here to remind the people that when we commit our lives to Christ, we are simply giving back to Him what He has already created. And as the Creator, God knows what is best for us.
This passage points out to us that problems are normal, we're not expected as Christians to live perfect lives. I think that Christians have gotten a reputation of being hypocrites by the world's standards or attempting to do just that. But we face difficulties regularly and have to learn how to handle them. So world, let me apologize if I ever come across as a hypocrite. I promise you that is never my intent. I strive to follow God's teachings but I am a flawed human and make mistakes on a daily basis.
I believe that life is good, life is fun, life is worth living. But I also believe that life is hard. The secret to getting through the most difficult times is not in what you know, but rather in who you know, Jesus Christ. I haven't read the verse in the Bible that says life is easy, so why do we sometimes expect it to be? We all face difficult times, hard choices, and bad situations. But if we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we can be assured that no matter what we may endure here on earth, the eternal gift of salvation is waiting for us at the end of this road. And the directions are simple: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
#LifeIsHard #TheWay
1. We should expect persecution. V. 12 tells us "do not be surprised at the fiery trial". We cannot live our lives in fear every moment but we are being warned that at times bad things will happen in life. We won't always have the answers but we need to be preparing ourselves daily for potential attack because we don't know when it's coming. That is done through Bible study and prayer.
2. We should rejoice in persecution. Vs. 13-14 tell us that by being persecuted for our faith, we are partnering in the same kind of suffering as Jesus, suffering for doing what is right. Right now Jesus is glorified in heaven, but one day His glory will be revealed on earth. Having that awareness of future joy during our trials allows us to rejoice even during this present time. We are told here that being "insulted for the name of Christ", whether that be for being a representative of Christ or for proclaiming His word, that we will be blessed. Hearing that I could be blessed gives me reason to rejoice, how about you?
3. We should evaluate its cause. Vs. 15-18 tell us that we should not live our lives as meddlers, being involved in matters that can be disruptive. John McArthur says "As a general rule, a Christian living in a non-Christian culture is to do his work faithfully, exalt Jesus Christ, and live a virtuous life, rather than try to overturn or disrupt his culture." Peter discusses the judgment coming upon the church, not condemnation, but the purifying of the church by God's hands. If God will so strongly judge the church, which he loves, how harsh will his judgment be on the ungodly (17)? Peter refers back to Proverbs 11:31 asking again "If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner?" Why are we facing this trial? God uses storms and obstacles in our lives to either correct us, discipline us for not following him; or to perfect us, make us better and more capable of following Him.
4. We should entrust it to God. V. 19 reiterates the fact that we should "entrust" our souls to the Creator. Entrust was a banking term that means "to deposit for safekeeping". And Peter used Creator here to remind the people that when we commit our lives to Christ, we are simply giving back to Him what He has already created. And as the Creator, God knows what is best for us.
This passage points out to us that problems are normal, we're not expected as Christians to live perfect lives. I think that Christians have gotten a reputation of being hypocrites by the world's standards or attempting to do just that. But we face difficulties regularly and have to learn how to handle them. So world, let me apologize if I ever come across as a hypocrite. I promise you that is never my intent. I strive to follow God's teachings but I am a flawed human and make mistakes on a daily basis.
I believe that life is good, life is fun, life is worth living. But I also believe that life is hard. The secret to getting through the most difficult times is not in what you know, but rather in who you know, Jesus Christ. I haven't read the verse in the Bible that says life is easy, so why do we sometimes expect it to be? We all face difficult times, hard choices, and bad situations. But if we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we can be assured that no matter what we may endure here on earth, the eternal gift of salvation is waiting for us at the end of this road. And the directions are simple: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
#LifeIsHard #TheWay
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