# Toil and Trouble



## StriperAddict (Aug 18, 2011)

Just some thoughts today on this amazing verse:
*1 Peter 1:7 *


 <SUP class=versenum id=en-KJV-30382>*7*</SUP>That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.



One of the men in the bible who marks the validity of this verse is Joseph.  Given the promise of leadership from God, he had to endure the 'trial' of being in prison for many years before he saw the promise fulfilled.  What kept him from despair? What led him to hold the promise when, seeminly, God was no-where in sight all those years?

Sometimes I'm too 'short-sighted' to see the big picture when it comes to trouble.  The 1 Peter verse tells me, among other things, that I am to wait on God's timetable and in the end, if I trust Him with the process, it will bring glorify God, and I might just glean some patience and understanding that He "works all things for goood to them that believe".  

Q's:
How do you "dignify a trial" ?

How does it appear to you as "gold", if you don't see the end in sight (just yet)?


I welcome yall's thoughts, testimonies and questions/answers.


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## formula1 (Aug 18, 2011)

*Re:*

I find dignity not in the trial, because it usually is stripping my own dignity and replacing it with Jesus, but in resting in the assurance of God's amazing love for me.

Hebrews 12:6
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,and chastises every son whom he receives.

How refreshing is His Love as it is better than life itself! And that is also the Gold.

Psalm 63:3
3 Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You

I don't have the answers, but I trust the God who does!


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## Ronnie T (Aug 18, 2011)

I use to say the dignity of the trial is seen when the trial has passed, been resolved, and you have grown, survived, and drawn closer to God.
I now believe the true dignity of the trial is found in how you reacted at it's onset.  Did you stand up to it from the very beginning, kinda taking it by the throat and dealing with it with God's strength.

Obviously we find ourself on the ground a lot as we deal with these trials.  Ideally, we get up and stand with God.

Sometimes I've been like a man trying to break out of a paper bag.  God is really good with paper bags.


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## StriperAddict (Aug 18, 2011)

Ronnie T said:


> I now believe the true dignity of the trial is found in how you reacted at it's onset. Did you stand up to it from the very beginning, kinda taking it by the throat and dealing with it with God's strength.


 
I agree.  If we don't panic but surrender ourselves and the trouble to the Lord, we are allowing God to be our strength in it, or through it.  During those times, it's also a test/trial to put "no confidence in the flesh", or as Proverbs says, "lean not on our own understanding".


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## mtnwoman (Aug 18, 2011)

The Holy Spirit is working up in here today!! 

I was just posting about some of my trials and tribulations that I didn't understand why it had to happen, I know it's for the glory to God....yet....well ya know.

I just gotta Praise Him anyway!


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## StriperAddict (Aug 18, 2011)

*wow....*



mtnwoman said:


> The Holy Spirit is working up in here today!!
> 
> I was just posting about some of my trials and tribulations that I didn't understand why it had to happen, I know it's for the glory to God....yet....well ya know.
> 
> I just gotta Praise Him anyway!


 
I had lunch with a dear friend today and we were on the _same subject_, and in the end both of us know that to cling to the Lord and surrender to His will is where we both need to "land", even when and if there aren't any "heavy revelations"! (Sometimes we don't know what to do with a "heavy-revy" anyway!! )

May His peace be in the midst of you trials!


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## gordon 2 (Aug 18, 2011)

StriperAddict said:


> Just some thoughts today on this amazing verse:
> *1 Peter 1:7 *
> 
> 
> ...




I think that Peter is talking about when the church will come into its own, with Jesus as the head  and the saints as the members of the body. Although I must admit he might have been talking about something else.  However, I don't think he is talking about the "second coming" that is the spiritual vogue for many.

Part of the reason I believe this is that as a saint, we are given vision of God's will, which will have to be for the future, because like when Moses came down the mountain, some of your own folks are smelthing gold for idols and you know darn well that it will take time to get them out of their spiritual habits, ---like generations. 

Seeing what is to be, the design and knowing that it will not be in one's lifetime is a hard trial. Moses looking  at or seeing the promised land for example, but not being able to go in it, is how I see the great physical manifestations of our Kingdom*. I will not know it physically, until my Lords some time from now, makes quick my dry bones and boots me in. (* Too many christians define themselves as sinners first and not at all as saints.)


Now many will read this and think I am full of it, or off topic. But this is how I read  your reference to Peter. 


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There are many answers to your questions Stripperaddict.

Let me say first that I am a firm beliver in the ideas of bliss.  I think sometimes trails are nudges to get you there. We all have gifts, many of us don't practice them for many reasons.

Sometimes trails are simply the outcome of sin. For example, commiting ( thou shall) one of the ten commandments, like adultry, or dishonering parents, should get you in all kinds of spiritual pickles for a time at least...., sometimes unknowingly. 

 Also, sometimes our trials are our gifts. For example take someone with severe mental illness, say bipolar. With time if a person "learns" to manage this illness personally they are my Heroes of Heroes. They are my role models of how to make lemonaid out of lemons and how not to give up, how to pick yourself up. 

The effort that people with metal illness require to overcome does make alot of Olympic atletes, and other high achievers, including saints blush! These people are dealing with all of living, not just part of it and their lives make me think twice about my love life with God and if it is about all of life or just part of it?

Sometimes the dignity of a trial is simply the effort and the suffering we experience as men and women.


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## Ronnie T (Aug 18, 2011)

I've known a few older ladies who always warns people not to pray for patience.
They claimed that if you asked God for patience, God was going to bring adversity to you so you could learn patience more rapidly.


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## gordon 2 (Aug 18, 2011)

Ronnie T said:


> I've known a few older ladies who always warns people not to pray for patience.
> They claimed that if you asked God for patience, God was going to bring adversity to you so you could learn patience more rapidly.




 Point taken.


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## mtnwoman (Aug 18, 2011)

Ronnie T said:


> I've known a few older ladies who always warns people not to pray for patience.
> They claimed that if you asked God for patience, God was going to bring adversity to you so you could learn patience more rapidly.



I've heard the same thing. I'm pretty sure I'm
just on the verge of patience, I've almost got a break thru (yeah whatevah)...I'll keep tending my garden until I'm in full bloom and bear all the fruit of the Spirit. Now there's some toiling for ya. 

Lord come quickly!


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## Ronnie T (Aug 18, 2011)

mtnwoman said:


> I've heard the same thing. I'm pretty sure I'm
> just on the verge of patience, I've almost got a break thru (yeah whatevah)...I'll keep tending my garden until I'm in full bloom and bear all the fruit of the Spirit. Now there's some toiling for ya.
> 
> Lord come quickly!



That's funny.


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