Is your Faith strong enough that you totally trust in God no matter the circumstances you are in? If we are honest with ourselves the answer is No. Often, we trust in ourselves, and only after things get difficult, we turn to God. Totally Trusting in God requires Genuine Faith.
Our Faith is not as genuine (pure) as it should be. Our Faith is contaminated with impurities, such as: pride, selfishness, unforgiveness, lack of patience, moral corruption, and guilt. Many of us think Our Faith is genuine, we don’t see the impurities in Our Own Faith.
God allows Christians to face various trails to purify Our Faith. The Apostle Peter writes, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NKJV) A tried (purified) faith is much more precious than tried (purified) gold.
Gold is the most valuable of all the metals; so is faith among the Christian virtues. The trial of faith is much more precious than the trial of gold; in both there is purification, a separation of the impurities, and a discovery of the soundness and goodness of the things.
The Miller process is commonly employed for purification of gold. The impure gold is melted, and gaseous chlorine is blown into the liquid. The impurities form chloride compounds that separate into a layer on the surface of the molten gold. The Miller process is rapid and simple, it produces gold of about 99.5 percent purity.
Gold does not increase and multiply by trial in the fire, it rather grows less; but faith is established, improved, and multiplied, by the oppositions and afflictions that it meets with. It is because our faith is improved and multiplied by various trials, the Apostle Peter tells us to greatly rejoice.
He continues in saying; “whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NKJV) It’s learning to totally trust in the Lord no matter the circumstances we are going through.
The Prophet Jeremiah tells us; “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV)
When we face various trails in life, we need to ask God, how can I bring glory to you amid this trail. When we do our faith is improved and multiplied.
Pastor Tim Hammond
Oak Street Baptist Church
