Inexpressible joy
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. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:6-8
People nowadays are always in pursuit of happiness. But most of the time, people miss it because they search in the wrong places. They also think that life’s happiness could only be experienced at a brief moment in time so they have to enjoy it because it will not last. From the text, the apostle Peter was providing an encouragement to Christians who were undergoing tremendous persecution because of their faith. He told them that even in times of trials there are reasons to be glad because for one there is a wonderful period of joy that they could anticipate in the future. It is because of God’s great mercy that we have this great salvation that provides us now the reason to be hopeful for the future (v. 3). The trials we are going through in life are God’s tools so we could be refined and produce glory and honor for God. For this reason, our lives could experience joy for we knew that God is accomplishing His will for our lives. As Christians, we have far better than just experiencing worldly fun for we have the heavenly joy! And God wants us to experience this joy even while we are here on earth for He provided as avenues to experience it. There is joy in knowing that you are saved not because of your righteousness but because of God’s and this provides a sure hope that you look forward to. “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness” (Isiah 61:10). We also have God’s word and spending time meditating upon His word provides joy. Though Jeremiah experienced tremendous pain encouraging the Israelites to take part in building the wall, he found comfort and strength in God’s word. “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies” (Jeremiah 15:16). There is also joy in knowing that we have the privilege to talk to God in prayer. “You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy” (John 16:24). When we serve Him by telling others about who God is in our lives what a joy it gives us when we see the fruit of our labor. “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” (Psalm 126:5-6). The fact that you have faith in God and that you trust Him, just like what Peter said, “You rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
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