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. (I Peter 1:7)
The first major gold rush in the United States was in eighteen twenty-eight in the mountains of northern Georgia. Then there was the gold rush in California during the mid eighteen hundreds. Next came the gold rush in Alaska toward the end of the century, which was popularized by the writings of Jack London. Through out the ages, gold has captured the imagination of men. The Bible contains numerous references to the precious metal. For all who have accepted Christ, we are a part of God's gold mine.
When our world starts to spin out of control, we might feel more like were in a gravel pit, than a gold mine, but in God's eyes, we are worth more than gold. God does not leave us as a gold nugget in a pan, or a tiny speck on a shelf in a tourist trap, but wants to make us into a vessel to bring him glory. As the refiner’s fire rids the gold of impurities, God uses trials to mold us into the image of his Son.
While trials are necessary, we sometimes go through unnecessary ones, because we fight battles we did not have to fight. There are times when the Bible warns us to flee from different situations. Being in the wrong place and doing the wrong things will cause us unnecessary problems. However, if the trial is unavoidable, we have the assurance God is with us. An untested faith is a faith that cannot be trusted.
Even though trials come in many ways, God controls them. In his sovereignty, he knows what we need, and exactly when we need it. At times, it may seem like the devil is in charge, but as Christians we know God is in control. We need to remember there are things we will not understand on this side of eternity. God's main mission is not to save us from Hell, but to have us reflect the image of Christ.
Many prospectors risked everything they had in order to discover gold. Christ left the splendor of Heaven to search for us. He became a part of the stream of where we were. Through his sufferings on the cross, he experienced the pain and sufferings that we go through. Because he was faithful to his mission and overcame death, we know that we can be victorious in our trials. The parable of the lost sheep is an illustration of what lengths God will search for us. On the cross, the physical pain was unbearable, but the emotional pain of separation from the Father was as unbearable. We serve a God that knows what we face, and has the power to help us overcome our trials.
Our jars of clay may be crushed, but the treasure inside remains. Our worth is based on what Christ has done for us, not on anything we have done on our own. We do not enjoy the pain of trial, but we know that God is working in us, and our faith will shine brighter after the trial. Because of our faith in Christ, we can have the confidence of Job when he proclaimed he would come forth as gold. When Christ returns he will add the final touch to the redeemed. By God's grace, we will shine throughout eternity in God's jewelry shop called Heaven.
