Father Mike Schmitz

I just invite you to go back to chapter one, verses three, four, and five.

This is the inheritance that's been given to us.

This is the gift that Peter is reminding these Christians.

This is what you've been given.

This is what the Lord God has done for you.

Even in the midst of pain, even in the midst of suffering, this is what the Lord God has done for you.

Because then he goes on to say in verse six,

In this, you rejoice.

Though now for a little while, you may have to suffer various trials so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This is so important because he reminds them first of the gift they've been given.

And then he tells them that what's gonna happen is through this persecution, through this tribulation, through this trial, through this trouble,

This is not God abandoning you.

This is God doing something in you that he could not do without this trial, that he could not do without this tribulation, that he could not do without these various trials.

Because what's happening is the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, which though perishable, tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

One of the things that we know about the spiritual life is that a lot of times when people begin following the Lord, they can have this crisis.

And the crisis is,

Many crises, of course, obviously all of us have them.

But one of the crises can be that we know our hearts and we know that we have a mercenary heart.

We know that, Lord, am I only coming to you because you promised me eternal life?

Am I only coming to you because of the graces that you give me in prayer?