The test of the faith

"You are rejoicing, though you are now afflicted for a little while by various trials, if necessary, so that the testing of your faith - much more precious than that of the gold that perishes and yet Is tested by fire - is a subject of praise, glory and honor, in the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1: 6, 7

God allows trials to reach his children to refine their faith. Would he have doubts about the faith of his people, who knows everything ? No, but it allows trials, when necessary, because they serve first of all to reveal to those who are tested the reality of their faith, its solidity. Through them, they also experience the closeness of God.

The trial of our faith reveals to us what is deep in our heart for God. If we pass the test successfully, we have the assurance that our faith is genuine. This will be his reward: the Lord will give honor and glory to those who have gone through the "various trials" of which the Apostle Peter speaks. They will turn into eternal fruit for the believer when he will make us the companions of his glory. All those whom the world has rejected will then be clearly manifested as sons of God.

God also allows trials to manifest His compassion so that we in turn are able to comfort those who suffer.

Our sufferings are not gratuitous, they serve to nourish our faith, to strengthen it. They teach us to rely only on God ; They detach us from the world and remind us that an inheritance "incorruptible, undefiled, unalterable" is reserved for us in the heavens (1 Pet. 1: 4). Meanwhile, God is also testing us to bring to light in the eyes of others the value of faith that we have.

God measures the suffering that results from trials and none of our tears is useless : they are so precious that God records them all in his book : "You count my ways and my coming ; Put my tears in your vessels ; Are they not in thy book ?" (Ps. 56: 8). All these sufferings produce for us an eternal weight of glory, our eyes not being fixed on what is seen, but on that which is not seen" (2 Corinthians 17:18).

And the "subject of praise, glory and honor" will be first for our God

Source (To pleasing the Lord)