ONLY FOR A SEASON, ALWAYS FOR A REASON -- Devotional for July 14, from "Good Seeds"

In this salvation you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. (I Peter 1:6)

Peter left off his explanation of salvation in verse 5 by referring to it as something “ready to be revealed in the last time.” The Bible presents salvation as belonging to all three time zones: The Past – we are saved from the condemnation and relieved of the guilt caused by our sin; The Present – we are being saved (given victory over) the temptations and troubles that beset us on a daily basis; The Future – we are yet to be saved (rescued) from the pain, sin and loss that are our undoing now. We are assured of our heavenly inheritance, but if full salvation means we are currently partaking of that inheritance then no, we are definitely NOT yet fully and finally saved. And this is the component of salvation Peter is referring to in this verse. When we have our new bodies, they will be like Christ’s resurrection body: no longer subject to the restrictions or illness or pain…or death – the things that dominate us in this life. The Bible says, “This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” In that day the boast will ring throughout the earth: “Death is swallowed up by victory.” And the saved of earth will righteously mock the one who “lost a soul that he thought he had” with this chant: “Oh grave, now where’s your victory? O death, now where is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15:53-55). After describing this great salvation, Peter says the Christian ought to be rejoicing daily – and greatly – in such a glorious thing. But if anyone is a realist, it is Peter. He was the one who had boasted to Jesus, “Even though all Your so-called friends may deny You, Lord, I – Your true and trustworthy follower – will never deny You!” he was soon to learn this was the only foothold the enemy needed to “sift him like wheat” (Luke 22:31). So now he brings up two things to consider when the trials come, tempting us to stop praising the Lord over this wonderful salvation: 1) Our suffering will only be for a short time. Oh, it may last a lifetime, but what is that, in relation to eternity? Soon we will "slip the surly bonds of earth" and fly right into God’s presence. Because of this wonderful salvation, our trials are ONLY FOR A SEASON. 2) Our suffering has meaning - it is ALWAYS FOR A REASON. Peter says, “if necessary.” Only God knows if and when it is necessary for us to have humbling experiences. Through our weaknesses, God shines as our Strong Tower, our Strong Deliverer. We tend to want to be the strong one – but that’s God place. Or there may be other reasons, known only to Him, for our suffering. Just know this: For the Christian, there is no wasted pain, for…our trials are only for a season, and always for a reason.