Problems Prepare You for Eternity
By Rick Warren
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)
You need more than positive thinking to survive in this world. You need hope.
In 1 Peter 1, the Bible offers five reasons you can have hope through Jesus Christ. In the last few days’ devotionals, I’ve given you the first four:
- God chose you before you chose him.
- God always treats you with grace and mercy.
- God has secured your future.
- God’s power will protect you.
Finally, you can have hope because God is preparing you for eternity.
God is using everything in your life—the good, the bad, and the ugly—to do so. Once you understand this, life begins to make sense. You stop saying, “Lord, why is this happening?” because you know why: He’s preparing you for eternity.
The Bible says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT).
Those verses describe six truths about problems:
Problems are temporary. They won’t last forever.
Problems are necessary. They are an indispensable part of preparing you for heaven.
Problems are varied. You’ll experience trials of all different shapes, sizes, and levels of intensity.
Problems test your faith. You build muscles by testing them. In the same way, when your faith is tested, your faith grows stronger.
Problems purify your motives. God is much more interested in your character than in your comfort. He’ll use trials to refine your character.
Problems prepare you for your rewards. The trials you’re going through now don’t compare to the rewards of heaven.
The troubles you’re experiencing now aren’t fun. They may even be painful. But the Bible makes it clear that they’ll make your faith stronger. Then, your faith will produce perseverance.
That’s why you can have hope, no matter what’s going on in your life right now.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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