Trials are Temporary, Salvation is Eternal

1 Peter 1:9-12 reads, “10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

No matter what your trial is, it's temporary. Even if you've been dealing with it your whole life, in the grand scheme of eternity, it's just a fleeting moment. I'm not belittling your struggles; they are real. But when you zoom out and see eternity which lies before you, you realize that a thousand years from now, you'll be worshiping around the throne of heaven, and this momentary affliction will be seen as just a blip in the panorama of history. Look at all that God has blessed you with. He has secured your salvation. Realize that no matter what trial you're facing right now, look up and see the eternal salvation that is anchored in Jesus Christ. He's not just meeting your temporary needs; He's securing your eternal destiny.

Peter says we have the promised presence of the Spirit in verse 11. The same Spirit who was active in the prophets, and active in the ministry of Jesus is the same Spirit who will aid the believer in the midst of trials. Notice the activity of the Spirit in these verses:

• Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” 
• Galatians 4:6 says, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”
  
• Acts 16:7 says, “After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”
  
• Philippians 1:19 says, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”  

Peter says part of our strength comes from knowing we have this same Holy Spirit in us.
Peter also says we have the promised privilege of our salvation in verses 10-12. Notice these verses which speak of a future promised salvation:

• Luke 10:23–24, “23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; 24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.’” 
• Matthew 13:16–17, “16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;  17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” 
• Matthew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

 
Peter makes a powerful statement in verse 8: "Though you have not seen Jesus, you love him." Peter was writing to people who, like us, had never seen Jesus in the flesh. But even though they hadn't seen Him, they loved Him. Jesus said something similar to Thomas in John 20:29 when Thomas doubted His resurrection. Jesus told him, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed." That's us—believers living in the present age. We haven't seen Jesus face to face, but we love Him nonetheless. How is that possible? Because though we can't see Him, we know Him, and we trust Him. We love Him because of who He is and what He has done for us.

The days we're living in now—the days when we don't see Jesus face to face but trust Him—are greater than the days when He walked the earth. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 11:11, "He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist." We may not see Jesus with our physical eyes, but we see Him with the eyes of faith. Just as a parent loves and longs for their unborn child, we love and long for Jesus, even though we haven't seen Him. And we can rejoice because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our trials. He's using our struggles to develop our character, to demonstrate our faith to a watching world, and ultimately, to bring glory to Himself.

Consider the stories of Joni Erickson Tada, Luther Bridgers, and Fanny Crosby. Notice how each one looked at their suffering from an eternal perspective.

Joni Erickson Tada, a quadriplegic, who is paralyzed from the chest down, writes about suffering from a Christian perspective. She regularly displays joy in the midst of suffering. She looks forward to heaven. She once told Larry King that she would like to tell Jesus in heaven about the wheelchair that she has been bound in. "The weaker I was in [that wheelchair], the harder I leaned on You. The harder I leaned on You, the stronger I discovered You to be. Thank You."

Fanny Crosby, the writer of thousands of hymns including "Blessed Assurance", who understood that a faulty medical practice had blinded her as a baby, made this statement as an adult: "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me." Her perspective allowed her to write so many songs to God in gratitude.

Luther Bridgers composed a hymn soon after hearing of the death of his wife and three children in a fire. It is said that Luther Bridgers had left his children and wife in the care of his father-in-law while he was away ministering the gospel at a conference in Kentucky. It was while he was there that he received a phone call telling him of the demise of his wife and all his three children in a fire that burnt down his father-in-law's house. With tears in his eyes, he expressed his faith in the Lord by penning the words of this hymn:

There’s within my heart a melody,
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace be still
Through all of life’s ebb and flow.
 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing, keeps me singing as I go.

The Lord kept each one focusing on how He was at work, using the trial for their good and His ultimate glory. So, no matter what you're going through, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Remember that your trial is temporary, but your salvation is eternal.

"Father, I pray when I am experiencing the trials of life that I will remember the testimonies of godly saints who have suffered well. May their stories encourage me. I pray that I remember that I have Your Holy Spirit within me. No matter how difficult today is, I rejoice in a future salvation promised in heaven with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
 
If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, pray something like this: “Dear God, I know that I’m a sinner, but You love me. You sent Jesus to pay for my sins on the cross so that I could be called one of Your children. I ask You now to come into my heart and life. I call You my Lord and my Savior. May I never be ashamed of You. I love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, please go to http://www.joshfranklin.org/books.html and freely download the ebook “Starting Strong,” and email josh@doveministries.org to let me know. I want to pray for you and provide resources that will help you in your walk with God. God bless.