I Peter 1. 6- 7 says something extraordinary in that it points out there is a good side to the downside of life.<\/p>\n
”Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ<\/em>” (I Peter 1:6-7).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
“Temptations,” i.e., trials, refer to the various pressures and harassments that are part of the human predicament. And while he acknowledges the unpleasantness of trials (“ye are in heaviness,” i.e., sorrow, distress), Peter also points out that they are not all bad.<\/p>\n
Because of the pain they inflict, trials are commonly viewed as unwelcome intruders in our lives. But remarkably, times of trouble are a necessary factor for personal growth and maturity. Men do not grow spiritually or emotionally merely by thinking about it or wishing for it. Growth occurs in the tension of making the right choice when we are “tried with fire.” Trials enable us to test ourselves against reality and to discover those areas of our character wherein we are lacking. And such exposure of our true self to ourselves is necessary before we can make the conscious decision to move on to greater perfection, firmness, strength, and stability (I Peter 5:10). It is only when our faith has stood the test of trial that it becomes proven faith (James 1:12) — a faith that will result in praise and honor and glory when the Lord returns.<\/p>\n
The trials of life, therefore, are “no accident” (Phillips, l Peter 1:7). Every man will face them, even when he doesn’t want them, and prays to be delivered from them (Matthew 6:13). How we choose to handle them will either add to our growth or delay it. A man does not choose to grow once and for all; the choice to grow has to be made every time problems come our way. Times of suffering are never easy moments, but they ask us, in a profound way, whether or not we wish to move ahead on the road that leads to glory.<\/p>\n
As paradoxical as it may seem, trials are always an opportunity for us to act in our eternal best interest. They hurt; but they can be redemptive moments if we remember that in God’s scheme, resurrection inevitably follows suffering. And so, “let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator<\/em>” (I Peter 4:19).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Tau Alpha Kappa (i.e. anonymous) Sentry Magazine, September 1999 I Peter 1. 6- 7 says something extraordinary in that it points out there is a good side to the downside of life. ”Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[182,188],"class_list":["post-35113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-suffering","tag-trials"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52380,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-there-any-difference-between-trials-temptations-and-persecution\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":0},"title":"Is there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi Jeff, Is there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution? Thanks. Answer: In English, a trial is any difficult situation, including temptations and persecution. Temptation is when you desire something but realize that to get what you want, you would have to break a law of God. Persecution\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88083,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-lead-us-into-temptation\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":1},"title":"Does God lead us into temptation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Matthew 6:13, \"And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen,\" seems to imply that God might lead us into temptation. But James 1:13 says God doesn't tempt people with evil. Could you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32895,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/james-on-trials\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":2},"title":"James on Trials","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: James 1:1-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The book of James is written to Jewish Christians who were scattered by persecution - Acts 8:1-4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This is one indication that James is one of the first books written \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is that persecution that sets up the theme for the first\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68062,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-any-of-you-lacks-wisdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":3},"title":"If Any of You Lacks Wisdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton James speaks of the wisdom to see our trials as opportunities to perfect our faith and develop durability, endurance, or patience. We can choose to count it all joy, see how to grow deeper in faith, or we can let the trials beat us down and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20392,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-good-people-suffer\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":4},"title":"Why Do Good People Suffer?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 25, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Based on a lesson developed by Darrell Hamilton Text: Hebrews 12:4-14 Write on board: SIN DISCIPLINE GOLD I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We see and experience problems as we go through life. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes we wonder why these things happen. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If a person is trying to be good, why doesn\u2019t God protect\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":91635,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-to-suffer-as-a-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":35113,"position":5},"title":"How to Suffer as a Christian","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson Since Christ calls us to suffer for Him (John 15:18-20; Acts 14:21-22; II Timothy 3:12), we do well to prepare ourselves spiritually and emotionally for this. One of the best sources for equipping Christians for suffering is First Peter. Peter writes from personal experience, having already been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35113\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}