April 10
The Refiner's
Fire
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.
Daily Steps
When trials feel intense, it is easy for the new believer to feel that God is punishing them. This verse offers immense peace by defining the nature of the trial: it is not punishment, but a refining process that proves the genuineness of your faith.
The peace in this refining process is found in the value of the outcome:
The Pain is Temporary: You "may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials," but this suffering is only "for a little while." The difficulty is time-bound, but the resulting faith is eternal.
The Faith is Valuable: Your faith, when tested, is of "greater worth than gold." Gold must be heated and purified to remove impurities. In the same way, God uses the heat of trials (the refiner's fire) to burn away the impurities of doubt, selfishness, and pride, leaving only pure, proven faith.
The Result is Glorious: The final, guaranteed outcome is that your proven faith "may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Your peace in difficulty is secured by trusting that the trial is precisely what is required to make your faith valuable and pure, fitting you for eternal reward.
Reflective Question
What "impurities" (doubt, a reliance on self, or a lack of patience) are being exposed in your heart by your current trial? How can you submit to the refiner's fire today, trusting God to purify your faith to something greater worth than gold?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I feel the heat of my trial. I thank You that this is not punishment, but a refining process. Help me to submit to the refiner's fire today, trusting You to prove the genuineness of my faith. Let this temporary grief produce eternal praise, glory, and honor when Christ is revealed, securing my peace in this process. Amen.
