Rejoice in Your Salvation

Sometimes when things are difficult, I can forget to rejoice in my salvation. I can forget what Christ has done for my soul.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

I love that Peter put these verses in the Bible because it reminds me of my salvation. And this salvation should bring me great joy that one day I will see the face of my Saviour  One day my faith will become sight.

I was once blind to my sin and didn’t have ears or eyes to hear or see the truth. I was once like the world without any hope. But now, that God has saved me, my hope is living. This hope comforts all distresses and allows me to get over all difficulties because my eyes are fixed on Christ. Does my gaze fall away from my Saviour? Yes, but I’m thankful that I can go to Him and repent and know that He has forgiven me.

I am going to have trouble. I’m going to get anxious and fearful. I will cry out to Him and ask why or no more or that isn't what I asked for but I have to trust Him because I love Him and I know His word is true. I’m thankful for the trials even though they are painful. Trials remind me to take my eyes off the world and onto my great Comforter. It makes me long for heaven. The trials give God the glory. It humbles me. It makes me pray. It refines me to look more and more like Christ. It makes me hate my sin so Christ becomes even sweeter to me. And it teaches me to be joyful.

My pastor said this. “True joy is a gift from God to those who believe the gospel of Christ, being produced in them by the Holy Spirit, as they receive and obey the Word, mixed with trials, and keeping their hope fixed on the glory which is to come.”

When I go through trials, I want patience to speak in my heart and not my passions. Ha! I wish I could say that I always do that but I don’t. My heart will get discouraged but I must go to my Father and ask for help.

Trials are good things. Even though it may look ugly to me, it is a beautiful gift from the Lord. When I open the box, I see His grace, mercy, kindness, love, sovereignty. When I open the box, I know He will comfort me with His word though it can take time.  I know He will heal the hurts, disappoints, and anger. He will heal the wounds. And when I open the box, I know it is the voice of God speaking to me.

He is telling me through the pages of scripture to trust and cling to Him. He is telling me not to fear but be strong and of good courage. He is reminding me to hide His word in my heart. He is showing me how faithful He is and has been over the years. He is rooting out the sin in my heart that the trial exposes. He is the one holding my right hand and He is the one that will always help and guide me.

This is something that I struggle with daily and I hate it. ButI have to trust Him daily, I have to worship Him daily, I have to give him thanks daily, and I want to love Him more than I did yesterday.

Trials can scare me or the what if’s. But I can rejoice in my salvation because the truth is I don’t want a shallow faith or a shallow joy. I want a deep faith and a full joy. I want to come out looking more like Christ and less like myself.

Friends, may we let His word strengthen our souls each day. May we remember the patience to endure the trial only comes from Him. May we remember He is our joy and praise. May we always thank the author, perfecter, and giver of life. Me we remember the nearness of God is for our good. May we tell those who fear and don’t fear the Lord what He has done for our souls. And may we never forget that He redeemed us, called us by name, created us, and is with us.

We are His and He loves us.