Even When You Cannot See - May 15

Read 1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes through it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your soul.

Reflect

Have you felt as if God had abandoned you? What were the circumstances? How did the situation turn out?

Back in 2003 Christian musician Jeremy Camp released the single called “I Still Believe.” It was a massive success with frequent airings on Christian radio stations across the country. The lyrics of this song are a beautiful declaration of his faith in the Lord despite deep personal pain.

When Camp was just 24 years old, he lost first wife to cancer. They had only been married five months. From that devastating experience, he penned these words: “The scattered words and empty thoughts seem to pour from my heart. I’ve never felt so torn before, it seems I don’t know where to start. But it’s now, that I feel Your grace fall like rain. From every fingertip, washing away my pain…’Cause I still believe in Your faithfulness. ‘Cause I still believe in Your truth. ‘Cause I still believe in Your Holy Word. And even when I don’t see, I still believe.”

Maybe you’ve been in a similar position. When you have more questions for God than answers from Him. When your heart has been broken and you start to wonder why God allowed it to happen. Sometimes, situations like this cause us to wonder if God is really there because most of us have never experienced Him with our physical senses. We haven’t seen Him with our eyes or audibly heard His voice and we’ve never touched Him with our hands. And so, when He feels far away, we sometimes doubt that He’s with us.

In today’s passage, Peter acknowledged that his readers, Christians in Asia Minor, were suffering because of persecution. But he reminded them that their suffering on this earth is temporary, only a “little while.”  Suffering will not last forever. But being with Jesus in glory is forever.

Peter also said that God uses trials to test our faith. In his commentary, John MacArthur noted that “the benefit of such a testing, or ‘fire’ is immediately for the Christian, not God. When a believer comes through a trial still trusting the Lord, he is assured that his faith is genuine.”

Believers whose faith remains intact or comes out stronger after a time of suffering, can rejoice even in the midst of their pain because they know that their faith in the Lord is real. Because their faith has been tested and proven, they can look forward to their eternal salvation with hope and peace.

This testing of our faith also confirms the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. That’s why Peter could say that the believers loved and believed in Jesus even though they had never seen Him with their own eyes. Dr. Warren Wiersbe explained: “Our love for Christ is not based on physical sight, because we have not seen Him. It is based on our spiritual relationship with Him and what the Word has taught us about Him. The Holy Spirit has poured out God’s love into our hearts (Romans 5:5), and we return that love to Him.”

I look back on some of my darkest, most difficult days, and I rejoice in the fact that even when I couldn’t see Him or feel Him, He was there with me. And, in retrospect, I can see how God used those trials to challenge and strengthen my faith.

I don’t know what you’re going through. But if you are in a season of suffering, remember—the pain of this world is temporary but the presence of God is everlasting.

Respond

Lord, this world can be so painful. I confess that sometimes, I may wonder where You are or what You’re doing. But I cling to Your promises that my suffering is only for a little while. I rejoice in Your love and find peace in Your presence. Even when I don’t see, I still believe. Amen.

Reveal

Encourage someone who is suffering today. Remind them of the love of Christ by showing them some love.