The Reward For Trusting Him Will Be The Salvation Of Your Souls

1 PETER 1:6-9
“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, 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.
”‭‭I Peter‬ ‭1:6-9‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://bible.com/bible/114/1pe.1.8.NKJ

Jesus had said to Thomas, His disciple who came to believe after touching the resurrected Christ, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me" (JOHN 20:29).
Peter, having heard those words, repeats them here. "You love him even though you have never seen him."
That faith brings both salvation and joy through the promise of the day when pain and suffering will end and perfect justice begins.
Salvation is not dependent on one’s place of birth, skin colour, knowledge, abilities, our faults and failures, and even sin cannot stop it, for we are both favoured and saved by faith alone (HEBREWS 11).
My beloved, we believers can experience "inexpressible joy" despite facing severe trials, because these trials are temporary, purposeful, and refine their faith—which is more precious than gold—for the final reward of salvation.
The passage emphasizes that believers rejoice in their secure, future inheritance, loving Jesus even without seeing him, and looking forward to the "end of their faith".
Faith will be rewarded and evil will be punished.
But what should we do until then?
God gives us a simple answer in His Word; simple, but not necessarily easy.
We believers, because we know the future, must put aside our own agendas and faithfully serve God here and now.
Peter highlights a paradox that believers are "grieved by various trials" while simultaneously "greatly rejoicing". The "joy" is based on the security of their salvation, not their current circumstances.
If today that means resolving a conflict, mending a hurt, working in a dull job, rebuilding a marriage, confronting a belligerent child, or just waiting for guidance, do it all with the joy of the Lord who will return with His reward.
But we must remain on the level God placed us, unlike the devil because of his selfish ambitions, tried to climb the highest mountain to be like God (ISAIAH 14:12-14).
Just like him, our selfless agendas shall bring us crashing down (ISAIAH 14:15).
Trials are not for punishment, but to test and refine our faith, similar to how fire purifies gold. These trials are "necessary" for growth and to prove genuine faith before Christ's return.
Even without physically seeing Jesus, Christians naturally love Him and trust Him, resulting in joy and looking toward the salvation of their souls
(1 PETER:8-9).
My beloved, our trials are characterized as temporary ("for a little while") compared to eternal glory.
In ten thousand years when we are still living in the presence of our Almighty God, holy and acceptable to Him, and having experienced His hand wiping away our every tear, and living life abundantly without fear of poverty or death, or torment, sorrow, or pain, the suffering we suffered in this life will be at worst, nothing more than a very distant memory.
Therefore, remain focused on the eternal promise of life everlasting.
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
God bless you all.