“May grace (the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) and peace (prosperity and quietness) be yours in the fullest measure” 1 Peter 1:2b.
Because –
Even when things are difficult, we can rejoice (v.6)
1Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
There is no rejoicing because of difficult circumstances however, God’s children can continue to rejoice in and through trials because of their future and the certain hope they have in Christ. Those who are chosen are able to rejoice in the grace and peace of Christ given to them, because of His mercy (v.3), because of their inheritance reserved in heaven (v.4), because they are protected by His power for salvation (v.5).
The foundation for rejoicing through trials has been laid out for us in the previous verses. Notice the adjective attached to rejoice in verse six – greatly. This is more than just accepting difficult circumstances; it is moving through them, exceedingly joyful for the future, with absolute knowledge that in the end all is well with our soul. Consider the account of Horatio Spafford. He survived the great Chicago Fire of 1871 in which he lost most of his real estate investment. Then in 1873, he planned to join his wife and four daughters on a transatlantic cruise after he finished some business. He sent them on their way, and later received tragic news that all four of his children had drowned when the ocean liner was in a freak collision with an iron tanker. Later, approaching the scene of the wreckage, he penned the hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul, (Wikipedia).
Is your soul well, filled with joy, because of God’s promises?
Matthew Poole’s Commentary explains rejoicing as “an outward expression of the inward gladness of the heart”. Our hope is based upon what we know for the future – we are saved to glory, where at last we will be safe and secure in the presence of God. Therefore, we are able to greatly rejoice even through the distress of trials. We are able to rejoice in the truth of our present salvation and rejoice in the hope of our future reward. Jump ahead to the words in 1 Peter 1:9, “obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls”.
In comparison to all eternity, our difficult circumstances are for a little while. The KJV translates this phrase to the word season. It literally means puny. Our trials may seem lengthy and overwhelming, but this is because our context is wrong. We tend to look at things in the sense of time according to what we understand. We also might look to the pleasures we are given on earth as the fulfillment of our joy. In both scenarios, our focus is shortsighted.
Is it possible we place too much significance on our circumstances here rather than our purpose for God’s future kingdom?
Days, weeks, months, years, and decades are the means by which we measure our existence. Yet our soul is eternal, lasting forever with Christ. Our calendar, compared with eternity, pales in its significance. As a visual, take a sheet of paper and mark a point with the sharp tip of a pencil. That point is our time on earth. We can use this same exercise in comparing our suffering with that of our Redeemer. Although our difficulties may be heart-wrenching and filled with extreme sorrow, they are nothing compared to Jesus’ rejection and crucifixion.
