The following was written by Ben Grice, Admissions Manager at Grand Canyon University
“…now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 6b-9
I can’t stop thinking about the value God puts on faith. Have you thought about this? God, in His power and by His providence, allows His beloved to suffer grief—of all kinds, in varying degrees—so that faith might be refined and proved genuine. Now, God loves us. There is no doubt. So the fact that He ordains suffering, the fact that you and I are not sheltered from hurt and are often well-acquainted with hardship, dramatically underscores the place of prominence faith holds in His sight (and God-willing, in ours too).
But why is God so bent on the faith, or lack thereof, of His children? Why does this get top billing in the New Testament, over and above all other subject matter? The verses above answer that question outright, so the following is to serve more as a reminder than a newsflash. Think of it this way: God is heaven-bent on faith, because, straightforwardly, heaven is at stake. The goal of my faith, and yours, is the salvation of our souls. What could be more paramount? That’s what our faith in Jesus accomplishes for us. Look at its other outcome: ‘These have come so that your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor…’ When faith is proved genuine, God is glorified. When (if) we maneuver trials and handle hardships in a godly fashion, He is made much of, His provision of all we need to persevere is exalted.
Sounds great, Ben. Sounds so simple. But look me in the eye and tell me what this looks like in reality, when I’m on the anvil and feeling the heat. What do you say to me when the tests come back malignant? What do you advise when my heart is gutted, when my hope is all but gone, when my hurt is too much to bear? How do I hang on to faith then, in the face of fear, in light of physical and/or emotional death? Humbly, my response is His: fix your mind on the eternal. Shun the deceitful, worldly notion that what you see here is all there is. And call upon your Maker to provide every ounce of all you need to come through the fire victoriously (synonymously, ‘faithfully’). God’s grace will allow for a perspective shift of great magnitude, one that will allow you to see how He sees. And when He enables this kind of vision, your purpose for being created from dust, only to return to it, comes into clear focus: to worship Him, in His majestic presence, both now and forevermore. When He instills this passion in your heart, when He crafts within you this uncontested, unbridled desire, you’ll have enough to withstand anything and everything life throws your way—to the praise of His Name.
You believe in Him though you don’t see Him; you are receiving the very goal of your faith.
I can’t stop thinking about the value God puts on faith. Have you thought about this? God, in His power and by His providence, allows His beloved to suffer grief—of all kinds, in varying degrees—so that faith might be refined and proved genuine. Now, God loves us. There is no doubt. So the fact that He ordains suffering, the fact that you and I are not sheltered from hurt and are often well-acquainted with hardship, dramatically underscores the place of prominence faith holds in His sight (and God-willing, in ours too).
But why is God so bent on the faith, or lack thereof, of His children? Why does this get top billing in the New Testament, over and above all other subject matter? The verses above answer that question outright, so the following is to serve more as a reminder than a newsflash. Think of it this way: God is heaven-bent on faith, because, straightforwardly, heaven is at stake. The goal of my faith, and yours, is the salvation of our souls. What could be more paramount? That’s what our faith in Jesus accomplishes for us. Look at its other outcome: ‘These have come so that your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor…’ When faith is proved genuine, God is glorified. When (if) we maneuver trials and handle hardships in a godly fashion, He is made much of, His provision of all we need to persevere is exalted.Sounds great, Ben. Sounds so simple. But look me in the eye and tell me what this looks like in reality, when I’m on the anvil and feeling the heat. What do you say to me when the tests come back malignant? What do you advise when my heart is gutted, when my hope is all but gone, when my hurt is too much to bear? How do I hang on to faith then, in the face of fear, in light of physical and/or emotional death? Humbly, my response is His: fix your mind on the eternal. Shun the deceitful, worldly notion that what you see here is all there is. And call upon your Maker to provide every ounce of all you need to come through the fire victoriously (synonymously, ‘faithfully’). God’s grace will allow for a perspective shift of great magnitude, one that will allow you to see how He sees. And when He enables this kind of vision, your purpose for being created from dust, only to return to it, comes into clear focus: to worship Him, in His majestic presence, both now and forevermore. When He instills this passion in your heart, when He crafts within you this uncontested, unbridled desire, you’ll have enough to withstand anything and everything life throws your way—to the praise of His Name.
You believe in Him though you don’t see Him; you are receiving the very goal of your faith.
