the first chapter of 1 peter talks about suffering and trials testing/refining our faith in the same way as gold is refined in the fire. When things are going fine for me, I may be under the impression that I'm doing a good job. When things get difficult and I suddenly start losing my temper or doing something else, it reveals something that was in my heart all along. The suffering/persecution that we endure is not God's original, perfect plan, because sin is not part of that, but like the heat of the fire brings the scum to the surface of the gold so it can be removed, God can use our suffering to bring sin to the surface and deal with it. Suffering can be a way that God works on our hearts.
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