The Past, The Present, and The Future

The Past, Present, and Future

1 Peter 1:1-9

“In this, you greatly rejoice, even though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.”

                  As we spend time with family and friends celebrating Thanksgiving this week, we think about the positive events and circumstances that give us a reason to be thankful.  We rightfully focus on our family and health and the blessings we enjoy. While we give thanks for these during this week, for the rest of the year, we wrestle with discouragement and dissatisfaction as we deal with the struggles and realities of life.  How do we find joy and satisfaction in the present when experiencing life's trials and problems?

                  In verse 6, Peter commends and encourages his readers to “greatly rejoice” even though they were going through various trials and struggles.   As Peter writes to them, he recognizes that life is not always easy and happy.  We encounter times of sorrow and distress.  Sometimes, we feel the weight of our circumstances and problems and are distressed and grieved.  These not only come from our physical and emotional struggles but also from spiritual struggles when we face temptation and the pressures of sin.  Life is not always easy.  It is not always free from problems.  Even the strongest Christian will face emotional and spiritual discouragement.  How do we find joy in the present when the present is filled with adversity and struggles?

                  Having acknowledged that life in the present is marked by adversity, Peter reminds us of our past and future to reorient our perspective so that we can still rejoice even during our struggles in life.  Peter points us back to our salvation, in which we have obtained a living hope through the work of Christ.  The death and resurrection of Christ not only freed us from the penalty of sin, but it also achieved the assurance of our future inheritance, which is already reserved for us in heaven.  What Christ accomplished in the past redefines the future, providing us the hope of eternal life.  This hope is not based upon our strength but upon the power of God.  The assurance of our salvation is grounded in the character of God rather than our ability (vs. 5).  What Christ accomplished in the past and what we obtained when we accepted the salvation He offered assure us of our eternal life with Him.  

                  The past work of Christ and the future hope we have because of Christ provide the basis of joy even in the struggles we face.  When we place our present trials into the context and backdrop of God’s plan for us, we realize that these present struggles are temporary.  Rather than being a threat to our faith, trials become the avenue with reveals the proof of our faith, for they shift our focus from the present to the eternal. The struggles remind us that life is not defined by the present but by the future and that our faith and trust in God’s eternal promises are the basis for joy.  God does not promise us freedom from adversity and discouragement, but He promises that these events are temporary and we have a future hope that is secure in Christ.  Because of this hope, we can still “greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (vs. 8). When you find yourself discouraged and troubled by the present, instead of looking for a change in circumstances, look for a shift in focus where we look beyond the present and see life from the context of our future. In the past, we discovered that salvation was achieved through the death of Christ.  In the future, we see the assurance of our future inheritance in Christ.  In the present, we discover that our faith's trials strengthen our faith and confirm that our hope is grounded in our eternal life.