December 10 - Suffering and Blessings 고난과 축복

December 10 - Suffering and Blessings

 

“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” - 1 Peter 1:7

 

1 Peter 1:3–12 is one of the most loved passages in all Scripture. It begins as a blessing to God but also describes how incredibly He has blessed us in Christ. Because Jesus has risen from the dead, our hope is not a wish—it is as alive as He is. Our inheritance as God’s children is eternal, full of glory, and secured forever. Even in our suffering, we have every reason to rejoice. The mystery of God’s plan has been revealed to us in Christ. We are being saved!

 

Peter, the apostle of Jesus, writes a letter to Christians facing persecution to comfort them with the truth of who they are in Christ—children of God with every reason to rejoice in their salvation and the future glory in eternity. Next, he urges them to live like the holy ones of God they already are by obeying God now, loving each other earnestly, and placing all of their hope in the eternal life to come.

 

God has a clear purpose for our suffering. He does not allow us to suffer without a lesson or a purpose. If we completely surrender to God, we should let Him work for our good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). We experience two distinctive blessings in times of suffering.

 

First, suffering tests our faith—to show whether it is genuine. Those who do not have strong faith cannot overcome suffering and trials. But, those who completely depend on God become stronger through suffering (1 Peter 1:7). God refines us through times of suffering and increases our faith, just like gold is refined to be completely pure. Through suffering, God makes us and molds us to depend on Him more. 

 

Second, after we endure suffering, we receive honor, praise, and glory when Jesus returns. We will receive praise from Jesus Himself. God is the Judge. Jesus is the advocate. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have baen faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21). “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the LORD comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time, each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). 

 

Glory and honor are attributed to God. God wants to give His glory and honor to those with genuine faith (Hebrews 2:7, 9). We will join God’s glorious honor and praise on the last day (Luke 24:26). God will honor all our suffering and hardship (John 12:26). Therefore, we should see our glorious future even while suffering. John Calvin said, “If we want to see God’s glory and praise in our suffering, we have no other way but to gaze our eyes upon Jesus.” We should look to Jesus in suffering and wait for the last day when we will be rewarded and honored for all we go through.

 

“When our faith is tested by suffering "as gold is tried in a furnace" and we depend with confidence on God and rely entirely on his help, we will be granted the most excellent gift of patience, and through faith, we may victoriously persevere to the end.” – John Calvin.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that your church leaders will exemplify Christian maturity. 

Prayer Pointer: To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” – Martin Luther

Bible Reading: Hosea 5-8; Revelation 1

 

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12월 10일 - 고난과 축복

 

“너희 믿음의 시련이 불로 연단하여도 없어질 금 보다 더 귀하여 예수 그리스도의 나타나실 때에 칭찬과 영광과 존귀를 얻게 하려 함이라” - 벧전 1:7

 

 

베드로전서 1:3-12은 성경에서 가장 사랑받는 말씀 중 하나입니다. 여기의 말씀은 하나님을 송축으로 시작하지만, 하나님께서 그리스도 안에서 우리에게 얼마나 큰 축복을 주셨는지를  설명합니다. 예수님께서 부활하셨기 때문에 우리는 산 소망을 가지고 살아갑니다. 하나님의 자녀가 받는 기업은 영원하고 영광이 충만합니다. 우리가 고난 중에도 기뻐할 수 이유는 하나님의 신비가 그리스도 안에서 우리에게 계시되었고 구원받고 있기 때문입니다.  

 

사도 베드로는 핍박에 직면한 그리스도인들에게 서신을 통해 그리스도 안에서 그들의 정체성에 대한 진리, 즉, 영원한 나라에서 받는 구원과 미래의 영광을 누리며 기뻐할 충분한 이유를 가진 하나님의 자녀라는 사실로 위로합니다. 그리고, 베드로는 지금 하나님께 순종하고, 서로 사랑하며, 다가올 영원한 삶에 소망을 가지고 하나님의 거룩한 백성으로 살아야 한다고 촉구합니다. 

 

우리가 당하는 고난에는 하나님의 분명한 뜻이 있습니다. 의미 없는 고난을 하나님은 우리에게  허락하지 않습니다. 고난 중에 하나님을 의지하면 모든 것이 합력하여 선을 이루시는 주님의 뜻을 깨닫게 됩니다. “우리가 알거니와 하나님을 사랑하는 자 곧 그 뜻대로 부르심을 입은 자들에게는 모든 것이 합력하여 선을 이루느니라”(롬 8:28). 고난의 특별한 축복이 있습니다. 

 

첫째, 고난을 통해 자신의 믿음의 진위 여부를 확인합니다. 굳건한 믿음이 없으면 시련과 고난을  이기지 못합니다. 그러나 예수님을 온전히 의지하먄 고난을 통해 믿음이 더욱 강건해 집니다(벧전 1:7). 불로 제련하여 모든 불순물들을 제거하고 보다 순수한 귀한 금을 만들어 내듯이 고난을 통해 불필요한 죄악들을 제거하시고 더 귀한 믿음을 갖게 하십니다. 하나님은 우리에게 시련과 고난을 허락하셔서 더욱 하나님을 의지하도록 만듭니다.

 

둘째로, 고난을 통해 연단 받으면 주님의 칭찬과 영광과 존귀를 얻습니다. 모든 것의 재판장이 되시는 주님으로부터 칭찬을 받습니다. 하나님은 재판장이시고 예수님은 우리의 변호자 이십니다.“그 주인이 이르되 잘 하였도다 착하고 충성된 종아 네가 작은 일에 충성하였으매 내가 많은 것으로 네게 맡기리니 네 주인의 즐거움에 참예할지어다 하고”(마 25:21).“그러므로 때가 이르기 전 곧 주께서 오시기까지 아무것도 판단치 말라 그가 어두움에 감추인 것들을 드러내고 마음의 뜻을 나타내 시리니 그때에 각 사람에게 하나님께로부터 칭찬이 있으리라”(고전 4:5). 믿음을 끝까지 지킨 자들에게 주님의 속성인 영광과 존귀를 입혀 주십니다(히 2:7,9).  

 

성도들은 미래에 영광의 주님처럼 변화되어 영원한 삶에 들어갑니다(눅 24:26). 하나님께서는 우리의 고난과 어려움을 귀하게 보십니다(요 12:26), 우리는 고난 중에서 영광스러운 미래의 천국을 바라 보아야 합니다. 요한 칼빈은 “고난 속에서 하나님이 주시는 영광과 칭찬을 보기 원하면 우리의 눈을 항상 그리스도께로 고정해야 한다”라고 말했습니다. 성도는 고난 중에 있을 때 주님을 바라보고 주님의 재림을 믿음으로 기다려야 합니다. 그리고 주님께서 우리에게 주실 칭찬과 영광과 존귀를 얻는 그 순간까지 끝까지 인내하며 기쁨으로 주님을 섬기며 살아가는 성도들이 되어야 합니다.

 

""용광로에서 금을 시험받는 것처럼" 고난으로 우리의 믿음이 시험을 받고 확신을 가지고 하나님을 의지하고 그분의 도움에 전적으로 의지할 때, 우리는 가장 훌륭한 인내의 선물을 받게 될 것이며 믿음을 통해 끝까지 승리로 인내할 수 있습니다." – 존 칼빈 

 

 

오늘의 기도: 당신 교회의 지도자들이 그리스인의 아름다운 모본이 되도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: “기도가 없는 그리스도인이 되는 것은 숨을 쉬지 않고 살 수 없는 것과 같은 것이다.” – 마르틴 루터 

성경 읽기: 호세아 5-8장; 요한계시록 1장