Today’s Encouragement is 1 Peter 4:13 NLT Instead, be very glad-for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
Wonderful Joy –
‘Instead, be very glad’ – here’s the rub! How often have we been able to rejoice during our trials? This is the key, my friend, to a joyous life! To be grateful and trusting and rejoicing even when we are in the midst of fiery trials! We each have the power to choose our outlook, and by God’s Grace we can choose to rejoice even in our trials! We can do so when we choose to believe that there is a purpose, a reason and that is to bring us to the wonderful joy of seeing His glory!
‘These trials make you partners with Christ’ – this is why we can rejoice- because these trials form, strengthen our character and make us partners with Christ. Few of us will ever suffer as He did, but our trials in this life still have the effect of identifying us with Him.
‘So that you will have the wonderful joy’ – we are destined for this wonderful Joy!
When it is revealed – we will experience Joy together with Him, at the time of His choosing.
Most everyone wants to avoid the hard times, struggles, and trials of life, of course, yet God’s counsel throughout His Word, clearly and repeatedly shows us that within our trials, we can know joy, we can be identified with Christ, we can grow in spiritual maturity, and we can worship Him! A hard truth, yet still – it is Truth!
While I Wait
Lincoln Brewster
Today’s Encouragement 