I am reading a book called "An Arrow Pointing Toward Heaven", which is a biography on the life of Christian recording artist Rich Mullins. There is a chapter in the book about sin and temptation, in which it talks about how Rich believed that it was the mark of a Christian to be tempted. If we are not being tempted, that means Satan is not worried about us. We aren't a threat to him. It is when we grow closer to God that he starts to get worried!
He comes to us in many forms, which is where he gets his name, "The Great Deceiver". Some of the troubles that we can run into is feelings of inadequacy, hardships in relationships, and just good ol' fashioned temptation to run wild and sin. Whichever may be the case, Peter is showing us five very important things in this one verse.
The first is that trouble isn't going to last very long ("though now for a little while"). Whatever the situation is, it is fleeting. It may last an hour, a day, or a month, but it is inevitably going to end. The Bible teaches that if you resist Satan, he must flee. I think this is one of the most comforting aspects of what Peter teaches here.
The second is that when trouble comes, it has a purpose ("if need be"). We learn in Job that God has to give Satan permission to start picking on one of His children. Now, you may ask why in the world God just doesn't give Satan permission anymore! But the reality is that, just as stated, our flesh is still worldly, and the only way that we going to grow spiritually so as to beat it is to face trouble in life to grow from it. Although God gives Satan permission, He promises us in His Word that He is never going to give us something we can not handle. So, if you are facing something and you think it is just too big for you, remember that even if you do not believe in yourself, God believes in you because He is allowing it to happen. The bigger the issue you are facing, the bigger reason you are facing it.
Thirdly, and almost without even mentioning, trouble brings grief ("you have been grieved"). We don't like trouble, and when it hits we aren't too happy about it. Plain and simple. More on this in the fifth section.
The fourth thing he teaches we have already touched on, so I'm only going to mention it: trouble comes is all shapes and sizes ("various trials"). We know that Satan brings it on us in more forms than we can imagine.
Lastly, and the most important, trouble should not take away from your joy ("greatly rejoice"). All throughout the Bible, we find verses praising God for distress and grief. It is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life. When it all boils down, we are still God's beloved children, and nothing is going to take that away from us (see Romans 8:38-39). We have salvation, and that in itself should give you more joy than anything.
No matter what you are facing, know that you are not facing it alone. I know that no matter what I go through (and it is a lot everyday), that in the end it is going to bring me closer to God as long as I keep my eyes on Him. I'm going to level with you - Satan has been knocking on my door a lot here lately. I don't why, but he has been attacking me almost more than ever lately, so when I read this verse, it really helped me out and opened my eyes. I must look back at the spiritual markers in my life, much like Joshua said to do in the Old Testament when he set up a marker of a rock on the path to the church. These markers (salvation, rededication, call to the ministry, deep spiritual moments, etc.) are all there to reflect upon to prove to me that God is right here with me, and He will never leave my side even when I try to turn my back on Him. The markers show me where God has brought me thus far, and its His little reminders that I shouldn't fear, and face the trials with gladness, for He still believes in me!
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