Road Warriors: Jeremiah—A Message of Survival - Thursday


1 Peter 1:6-7
In all 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 the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)


People respond to suffering in a great many ways. For example, when I endure the painful and excruciatingly awful activity of going for a run, I like to respond to that experience with a scoop (or two) of ice cream. Exercise and sweets cancel each other out, right?

But in all seriousness, not all responses to pain and suffering are equal. Some people deny that they’re suffering. It’s a coping mechanism of sorts to simply pretend that nothing is wrong at all (even though everyone else can sense that something indeed is). Some people ignore their suffering. They know it’s happening, but they put their head down, clench their teeth, and wait for it to be over instead of talking about it. Some people numb their suffering. When it seems too painful to bear, they turn to drugs, pills, alcohol, TV, casual sex, or other deadening agents to dull out the pain.

These responses are common. Understandable, even. But they’re not healthy, and they won’t leave you better off when the pain has subsided. 

Pain is often paralleled with fire in the Bible. In Isaiah 43, trials and troubles are called “fire” and “flames.” In 1 Peter 4, suffering is described as a “fiery ordeal.” But interestingly, it’s also drawn in comparison to a fiery furnace.

A furnace, of course, is a very powerful and dangerous thing. But when used properly, things that are put through its fire come out the other side more pure, more refined, and even more beautiful. This is how Christians ought to face suffering—not denying, ignoring, or numbing it, but facing it with faith knowing that God can use it to make us stronger, better, and more reflective of His image. In doing so, He takes the very thing Satan intends to tear us down with (pain and suffering) and uses it, instead, to give us a faith more valuable than gold—a faith that will bring praise, glory, and honor to His name here on Earth, as well as for us when Jesus is finally revealed. Like a stained glass window forged in a fire, we can become a beautiful and pure reflection of His goodness through hard things when we choose to respond in faith.


Thursday’s Reflection

Does the image of a burning furnace sound familiar? Read the original story of three friends who faced a fiery trial with a whole lot of faith.


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Road Warriors: Jeremiah—A Message of Survival - Wednesday