Passing the Test

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory, you  may rejoice with exultation. 1 Peter 4:12-13

It always grieves my heart when I come across a verse and it leaps out at me, convicting me of something I know I’ve dealt with before. That has been the case with several things I read just this morning, and these two verses were no exception.

The context of these verses hints that the ordeal is persecution, but it does not require it. I have experienced many ordeals in my life that have not been persecution, but I am convinced they were intended for my testing. And, thanks to my whining, I know I have failed many of those tests.

I so incredibly hunger to pass the tests. Does passing the tests mean that no more ordeals will come? No, I don’t think so. Not this side of heaven. But, oh how much more of God’s glory I would see were I to walk through each ordeal rejoicing instead of whining. And oh how much greater would my rejoicing be when I do reach heaven, knowing I had rejoiced in the midst of each trial!

When the next ordeal comes around, whether big or small, I hunger to remember these verses. I hunger to rejoice. I won’t want to remember or rejoice when the time comes, but I suppose that’s why it is called a challenge.