Hard Pressed 

Hard Pressed

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”
When people go through hard times or difficult days, they sometimes say, “I don’t see anything good coming out of this trial.” Doesn’t the Bible say somewhere, “We see all things work together for good to those who love God”? No. It says, “We know all things work together for good” (see Romans 8:28). We may not see things working together for good at this moment or this week or this month or this year or even in our lifetime.

The Bible doesn’t say we will see it. The Bible says we know it. That’s what Peter is reminding the believers to whom he is writing. People who were going through some tough times.
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ  1 Peter 1:7“I know you’re going through some pretty difficult days, with even tougher times coming your direction,” says Peter, “but you can choose to rejoice. Why? Because trials strengthen faith.”

In comparing faith to gold tried by fire, Peter reaches back to a statement made by a man who knew uniquely and exactly what it meant to go through trials and difficulties. a man who lost everyone and everything, and went through such physical suffering he scraped the sores from his body with a potsherd the bible says.

But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:10

In Bible times, when a man wanted to make something of fine gold, he would subject the ore to such intense heat that all of the impurities would be burned out. The goldsmith would know that the work was done when he could see the reflection of his own face in the liquefied gold.
The same thing is true with us. The Lord says, “I’ve got big plans for you, huge plans. I’ve got plans not for this life only, but for eternity. Therefore, I may need to turn up the heat a bit to work out the impurities. But My hand is on the thermostat. I know exactly what I’m doing. Although at the present moment, it might not be easy, you’ll thank Me for the next billion years to come because what I’m after is to see the reflection of My face in your life.”
Why?

God doesn’t want to see His reflection in our lives because He’s on some sort of an ego trip, but because He knows that although we may not realize it, what we really want is to be like Him. Peter would write “Be Holy as the Lord is Holy” There are things in our lives that keep that from happening, so the way He deals with them is to turn up the heat a bit in order that we’ll come out of the fire stronger in faith and more like the Lord.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us  Romans 5:3–5

  When you finally understand this, you’ll rejoice in difficulty rather than rebel because you’ll see it as a purifying process that will work wonderful things into your life. Tribulation works patience. When you’re going through difficulty, there’s not a lot you can do other than wait for the master goldsmith to finish the process. Patience, in turn, works experience, as we learn that God truly knows what He’s doing. Experience works hope—the absolute expectation of coming good. Trust me the best is yet to come–we might not be able to see it but we don’t see the whole story, only part of it.
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known”. 1 cor 13:12 NKJV

“We are always on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things”
Henry Ward Beecher

Amen

Victor Tafoya