Do Not Be Surprised
1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
There’s something in us that expects life to make sense. We follow Jesus… we try to do what’s right… we take steps of faith… And somewhere along the way, we quietly assume: It should go smoother than this. So when the pressure hits— when the situation unravels, when the weight lingers, when the fire turns up—We don’t just feel the pain… we feel the confusion. “Why is this happening?” “This doesn’t make sense.” “This wasn’t supposed to go like this.” Peter speaks directly into that moment: Do not be surprised.
When the Unexpected Becomes Reality
The struggle isn’t always the trial itself— it’s the fact that we didn’t see it coming. We expect hardship “out there”… but not here. Not now. Not like this. But Peter says, Don’t treat this like it’s strange. Not because it’s easy— but because it’s part of the journey. Following Jesus doesn’t remove the fire. It reframes it.
You Are Still Loved in the Fire
Before Peter ever talks about trials, he says one word:“Beloved.” That’s not accidental. Because when life gets hard, love is the first thing we question. “God, if You love me… why this?” “Why now?” “Why so heavy?” Peter reminds us: You are not in the fire because you are forgotten. You are not in the fire because you are rejected. You are in the fire— and you are still deeply, completely, unshakably loved.
The Fire Has a Purpose
“…when it comes upon you to test you…” This isn’t random. The fire reveals things. It exposes what we trust. It brings to the surface what we didn’t even know was there. Not to shame us— but to shape us. God uses pressure to strengthen what comfort never could. He refines. He deepens. He builds something in you that only the fire can produce.
Don’t Misinterpret the Moment
It’s easy to read the fire the wrong way. To assume God is distant. To believe something has gone off track. To think the presence of pressure means the absence of God. But what if the opposite is true? What if this moment— this exact season— is where God is doing some of His most intentional work in your life?
Hold Steady
You don’t have to like the fire. You don’t have to pretend it’s easy. But you can choose how you walk through it. You can lean in instead of pulling away. You can trust instead of panic. You can hold onto God even when everything feels uncertain.
Final Thought
Do not be surprised by the fire. Not because it doesn’t hurt— but because it isn’t pointless. God is not wasting this season. He is working in it. And the same fire that feels like it’s testing you may be the very thing that’s strengthening you. So stay steady. Stay anchored. Stay close to Jesus. Because you are not alone in this. You are His. Beloved—even here.