“You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith . . . may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Pet 1:6b-7 (ESV) This passage encourages us with three experiences believers will have if their faith passes the test of trials in their life. Some of us have difficult external trials, some of us have difficult internal trials and some of us have both, but I have never known anyone who doesn’t have some trials. We all have the opportunity to grow our faith through trials. When Jesus returns and reveals himself to all then he will bless His people for enduring trials in ways that may even embarrass us because of their lavishness. First, Jesus will actually praise us for passing the trials. How melodious will be the sound of Jesus actually speaking praise for our faithfulness. Next, God will glorify us, which means that we will partake of God’s glory (II Pet. 1:4). God will clothe us with His purity and goodness and radiance. And perhaps those who have handled the testing best will receive greater measures of God’s glory. This will be unspeakable joy. Finally, God will actually honor us. This one is hard to imagine since we don’t really feel like we should be honored and it seems like too much, and yet Jesus will give us recognition and respect among His people. For all these reasons we can endure any trials we face because they increase our faith which is something God will reward beyond what we can even understand.
