Surprises

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which

is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Pet.

4:12, NKJV).

Surprises, painful surprises, can come in many ways. A car veering

across the road into your path. A sudden notification that you’re losing

your job. A medical test that gives you unexpected bad news. Betrayal

by someone you loved and who you thought loved you. As bad as the

pain can be, it’s always made worse by the element of surprise.

This week we will look at a few specific types of painful situations

or crucibles that should not take us by surprise.

To begin, let’s go back to the text for today in Peter. The Greek word

for “surprised” in 1 Peter 4:12 means to be “alien” or “foreign.” Peter is

urging his readers not to fall into the trap of believing that fiery ordeals

and trials are alien to Christian experience. Rather, they are to be con-

sidered normal—they can and should be expected.

The word used for “fiery ordeal” (NIV, NRSV) or “fiery trial” (NKJV)

comes from another Greek word, and it means “a burning.” In other

places it is translated “furnace.” This experience of suffering for our

faith could therefore be considered a “smelting process,” the process

of the crucible.

Read 1 Peter 4:12–19. What is Peter’s message?

Many of us are surprised about suffering because we often have

an oversimplified view of the Christian life. We know there are two

sides—God, who is good; and Satan, who is bad. But often, we then

automatically put everything that feels good in the box with God

and everything that feels bad in the box with Satan. But life is not

so simple. We cannot use our feelings to decide what is in God’s box

or Satan’s box. Sometimes walking with God can be challenging and

hard. And following Satan can appear to bring great rewards. Job, who

is righteous yet suffering, illustrates this when he asked God, “ ‘Why

do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?’ ” (Job

21:7, NIV).

Peter was referring to trials that are the consequence of standing up

for Christ. But there also are other reasons that trials come. How

could 1 Peter 4:12–19 help you to explain tactfully to a friend why he

or she should not be surprised at the painful trials they might face?