Ready:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead… You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:3, 6-7
Set:
Have you ever had a game (or maybe a season) in which it seemed like everything goes wrong? It’s tempting to ask, “Why me? Why do I have to go through this?” When we face trials in sports or other areas of life, it’s natural to want to know why this is happening to us.
In His perfect wisdom, God may not always provide the detailed answers we’re looking for, but He does speak to the “why” behind trials. According to 1 Peter 1, through Christ’s resurrection we are given “new birth into a living hope” when we respond in faith to Jesus. In the Bible, “hope” is not some vague wish that everything will eventually turn out okay. Instead, hope is the confident expectation of what God will do in the future based on what He’s already done in the past. Since God already raised Jesus from the dead, our hope is “living”: it is vibrant and robust because we know the living God is working now toward the future fulfillment of all His promises.
One of these promises is that the Lord uses our present trials to bring about future benefits (1 Peter 1:6-7). Consider the difference between a team that has abundant hope for future success versus a team that is pessimistic about the future. Teams with genuine hope are better equipped to handle adversity along the way. Without this hope, adversity can derail a team.
When we’re on Christ’s team, Jesus’ resurrection gives us ironclad reasons for abundant hope for what He has in store no matter how difficult present trials are. God uses trials to help us grow in our relationship with Him. Trials motivate us to depend upon the Lord more fully, strengthening our faith so that we grow closer to Him. As we do so, we experience His loving care and gracious work more deeply.
In addition, Jesus’ resurrection assures us God will give us everything we need to persevere through trials. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in us and enables us to hold fast to Him when hard things come. Our faith will then “result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
If you’re in a hard season, remember the difference that Easter makes: Jesus rose from the dead, giving you a living, unshakeable hope. Rejoice in the truth that God loves you and He’s at work, even in the most difficult trials.
Go:
How does Christ’s resurrection fill you with hope while facing trials in the present?
How is the Lord deepening your faith and refining your character through trials?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Father, I praise You because in Your great mercy You have given me new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I pray that I would hold fast to this hope, trusting Your work through the trials I experience. In Christ’s name, amen.”