Be Still And Know

1 Peter 1.6-7 NLT 'Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.' Let’s not play games. Hard times are hard. Nobody likes going through difficulties or facing challenges. To have to endure violent persecution, such as Peter’s readers experienced, must have been incredibly difficult. Peter wasn’t glad about the trials they were facing, but about the outcome from going through such times. He knew that the persecution that they were enduring not only proved the reality of their faith, but would have the effect of refining them and making them even stronger in their Christian lives. I find it fascinating that gold has been highly prized for thousands of years. The world has changed out of all recognition over that time, but gold continues to be eagerly sought after and over the past couple of chal