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 honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6–7
Peter has this really annoying quality about him, but one I think we should all be thankful for. It is a quality, if we consider for a moment, one we all need spoken more into our lives? What is Peter’s quality I am speaking of?
Probably every kid can appreciate, where they have made a complaint about the food set before them, only to have a parent explain to them how fortunate they are to have food in front of them (the narrative may also include some notion of children in Africa, who would only be so lucky to be eating tuna casserole). Somehow by the end of the lecture, they may still not feel grateful to be eating the food in question, but to make matters worse, they now feel a little guilty for complaining. Yet, if honest, they might actually recognize there was a grain of truth and wisdom in their parents’ assessment.
So, what is Peter’s quality? The quality of honest perspective. The ability of taking our focus off a negative experience and helping us see it in a positive light.
In Peter’s letter, he takes the justified concerns of these early believers, who are beginning to see unfair trials coming their way, and before he consoles his friends in their hardships (which he later does), he first catches them off guard, telling them to, “rejoice!” Peter even suggests, “Don’t complain, but celebrate and be happy in these hardships!” He then reminds his friends, they have already received the greatest thing imaginable, a saving faith in Jesus. Peter then stresses: Anything that stretches us, and challenges our faith, we should receive with joy as it will ultimately make us stronger in our faith and more thankful for it! Finally he reminds us: A day will come, when we will all receive the ultimate goal and gift of our faith, when we will look back and know that any hardship we face now pales in comparison to what is still ahead!
During this time, let’s do what we can to heed Peter’s advice, and transform any trace of grumbling into an opportunity to express gratitude in receiving the grace of God in Christ!
Suggested Further Reading: James 1:1–18
