Our Refuge From the Storm

1 Peter 4:12

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Jesus makes it completely clear in His teaching that we should expect trials if we follow Him.  We should not be surprised by any painful trial that we may be going through.  Trials are part of the necessary process of growing our faith and our intimacy with Our Lord.

Our faith must be tested.  Without trials, we would soon believe that all of our good fortune was of our own making.  Through the trials, we build our confidence in Our Savior who faithfully delivers us from each and every challenging period in our lives.  His grace is always sufficient if we trust in Him.

Lifelong friendships and close personal relationships are usually the hallmarks of great sports teams.  The time that the players spend together in battle on the athletic playing fields relying on one another result in bonds that are unbreakable.  So it will be with us in our relationship with Jesus Christ.  When we learn to rely on Him to take us through our battles in life, He will become our anchor during the mightiest of storms.  He will become our inseparable partner in victory.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for being our rock and our foundation.  We thank You for Your faithfulness in delivering us from the fiery trials in our lives.  We pray that we will come to a place where we trust in Our Savior, Jesus Christ, in all things.   May our trust become so complete that we actually learn to rejoice in the face of our trials, knowing the victory is ours in all matters even unto death.  We ask all these things in the name of Our Refuge from the Storm, Jesus Christ.