For the last couple of months at Highview, I have been teaching through the book of 1 Peter with three other guys. 1 Peter is a really great book, full of fantastic lessons and many challenging passages. One of the themes that Peter continues to return to in the book is the importance of having our minds oriented rightly. In chapter 1 he tells believers to "gird up the loins of your mind", and then again in chapter 4 there is the instruction to "arm yourselves also with the same mind" (speaking of Christ). All of this instruction is given in the context of the message of the book itself, which is to prepare believers for how to deal with persecution. Today we dealt with 1 Peter 4:12-19, which again contains instruction with regards to how we are to think. We are told to "not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you". The question today's teacher posed to us at the beginning with regards to thinking about this was simple, but profound:
What do we expect out of life?
Simple, and obviously can be answered in a variety of ways, with things like happiness, family, a home, lasting relationships with friends--none of these are bad answers, per se. I believe however the real question should be:
What should we expect out of life?
I believe, in particular for the believer, the answers to that question should be quite different. The passage that prompted my thinking in 1 Peter is actually telling believers that they should not think it strange when they are tried; they should expect that as part of being followers of Christ. What else should we expect? If we are truly followers of Christ, there are some interesting answers to that question. If we are followers of Christ, we bear His name, we are indwelt of His Spirit. This world hated and still hates Him--not because of any specific thing He has done, I would contend, but simply because of who He is. He is holy; this world is sinful. We should expect the same treatment, to the degree that we are faithfully living for Him. I do not mean that we are to go out and look for suffering, or that if we are not being constantly harassed for the sake of Christ then there is something wrong with us, but certainly I believe there is a disconnect between what we do expect from life (happiness, peace, etc.), and what we should expect, given whose we say that we are.
The other aspect of what I believe we should expect is related to the post I put up entitled "The Intolerable Compliment". We are loved by our Creator, more so than we can even understand. As I talk about at greater length in that entry, we are loved too much by Him for Him to simply leave us alone. God works on us, to conform us to the likeness of His Son for His glory. We should not expect the reshaping process to be without difficulty. Too often I find myself concerned with having a life that is comfortable at all times, in every area. I tend to lament difficulties, stress, conflict. Certainly when those things are the product of my own sinful behavior I should lament them--more than lament; I need to repent and seek the face of God. That said, when things are not all smooth sailing, when life is challenging me and not going as I expect it, do I perceive this as being the divine work of God, "...that the genuineness of my 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 take this as a personal challenge: What should I expect this day?
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