1 Peter 2:12
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Why does following Jesus have to be painful? Why, when accepting Christ as our Savior, could God not remove the trials in our life? I understand the deliverance of sin by accepting Christ, but why do we need to face trials after that? Wouldn’t it be more attractive for people to see Christians without trials? I think people would come to the faith in droves.
But the bible says just the opposite. It says, when we follow Christ, we will be persecuted. Yes, God gives us the tools to endure, but why not remove the trials all together? I agree we learn from trials, but really didn’t God accomplish His goal that we return to Him by loving and believing in His Son?
So, we repent from our sins with a sincere heart. If God wants to leave us here on earth until He returns, that’s fine. But why not shield us from the trials of life? Non-believers would see that Christians got it good and would want to sign up. Sure, the entry fee is still the same, a broken and contrite heart, but once in you are golden…Worry free, pain free, trial free!
Just like heaven… It would be so easy to evangelize.
But the world sees Christians struggling and being persecuted. Who would want to sign up, unless…
Unless they could see underneath the trials the peace and joy that God speaks about to endure the trials. To be honest, I like my plan for God to remove all trials, but I’m not God and it’s not my plan but His. So, God says He will provide for us in the midst of trials, that we can even reach a level of joy if we stay focused on Him. If we can sincerely achieve this, then I believe the non-believers will see something desirable in us and want the same for themselves.
Could it be that living as a believer in Jesus is not about us, but more about seeing God be glorified?
James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Just a Thought…
