Daily Devotional - Times of Refreshing - WK29 - 7/19/25 - Day 200 - "Strength To Rejoice"

Author: Evangelist Crystal Poston

Strength to Rejoice”
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-13

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

Devotion:
Peter wrote to believers who were suffering for their faith, and he encouraged them not to be surprised or disheartened by it. Instead of seeing trials as strange or unexpected, he wanted them to understand that suffering was a part of the Christian journey. “Just as Jesus faced suffering, His followers will also encounter hardship.”

Peter’s words are a call to a deeper perspective on suffering for us as well.  He said in the Word to "rejoice," not because of the suffering itself, but because through the suffering, we participate in the sufferings of Christ. If we live a life of faith in Christ, our struggles and hardships will bring us closer to Him.  Jesus' suffering led to glory, and so will ours.

As Christians, we are not promised a life free of difficulty, but we are assured that we are never alone in our struggles. Our suffering is not meaningless; it has a purpose in God's grand plan. Peter reminds us that when we suffer for Christ's sake, it becomes a source of joy, for it points to the greater glory that will come.

Prayer:
Lord, we pray that You will give us the strength to rejoice in our trials, not because we enjoy suffering, but because we know that through our suffering, we are strengthening our relationship with You. We thank You because we know that if we keep our eyes on the eternal glory to come, our struggles will not compare to the joy that we will experience when You return. In Jesus’ name, Amen.