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

 

Let's think about photography for a moment. First, you expose film to the light by opening the shutter. Then it goes into a dark room where it passes through a series of chemicals ('faith developers'). Then hopefully you end up with a perfect picture.' What are these faith developers?' you ask. Peter answers, 'These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure' (1 Pet 1:7). Faith is what enabled David to survive the javelins of Saul, and collect the foreskins of his enemies. It made him sensitive enough to write poetry, but tough enough to cut off the head of Goliath! It's what enables you to stand up to the diagnosis, scoff at the statistics, defy the prognosis, and boldly announce, 'I believe God!' (Acts 27:25). Faith is what enabled Joan of Arc to pray while she burned at the stake for her convictions. Colonel Sanders, a committed Christian, said faith took him from living off a $105-a-month Social Security check, to running a $285 billion dollar company, working with only a piece of chicken and 29 spices. Would these people have preferred an easier road? Probably. But they understood that you have to go through the 'faith developers' to reach your destiny. Listen: '...The just shall live by faith' (Rom 1:17). Faith is what gets you out of bed, carries you through the day, overcomes each obstacle, and keeps you focused on your goal. So today, work on your faith!