In a Little While?

“So 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. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”  1 Peter 1:6-7 

So the other day in our Staff Chapel at church, during the worship time as we were praying, the Lord brought this scripture to my mind. I like to go to any type of church service with an expectancy and a hope that God will speak to me. So when a verse comes to mind, I immediately look it up. This morning was special for me because I am in a season where I want (need) a WORD from God…maybe more like a PARAGRAPH! I want to know the future! Doesn’t everybody? As I read the first four words I was getting excited, “so be truly glad.” Add to this the next five words, “there is wonderful joy ahead ”. Yes, Lord, I hear and I am thrilled with what you are saying:) (insert a smile and a gaze into the heavens) And then I read the next part…(air leaves the room/smile turns upside down/ huge sigh) “Even though you must endure MANY trials for a LITTLE while.” (emphasis mine) C’mon Lord! I seem to hear this phrase ALL the time! It feels like a disclaimer to every piece of good news I receive. Trials that I have to endure? When is enough, enough? Why did you have to add “many” to that? And Lord, could you possibly define “a little while” for me? Is that like dad saying "we're almost there" on family trips?

After worship, our speaker began to share the differences between discipline and testing. I was in shock at the Lord’s timing and knew He wanted to teach me something special. The Lord’s discipline occurs when I sin or am doing something wrong and need correction. Testing from the Lord comes because of faith, because I am moving in the right direction and He is preparing to advance me. So here’s the take-away. 

We may not ever know how long “as little while” is. We will probably never be able to define how “many” trials will have to be endured. What we do know is that all of those challenges (tests) are making us stronger, drawing us closer to Him and preparing us for the future He has designed for us. Yes, much praise and glory is going to come out of our lives because of this. So hang in there! God may be testing you but you are going to come out amazingly well…"in a little while”!