Why be 'born again' only to suffer grief and trials?
The first time I saw someone strapped to a bed in a psychiatric hospital it was a terrifying sight. I have vivid images of it even though it was almost 35 years ago.
As a psychologist, I’ve seen the depths of human suffering and pain. In the past year I’ve treated a handful of women who suffered from postpartum psychosis.
The violent surge of hormones that create contractions and give birth, also affect the brain and neurotransmitters. In some cases it causes a psychotic break with symptoms of mania, hallucinations, delusions and profound depression. It takes the normal and painful experience of childbirth to another level of pain and suffering.
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I find it curious that Jesus talks about salvation as “a new birth.“ We usually associate birth with joy and a new life, forgetting about the pain and suffering. But sometimes life (like postpartum psychosis) is an overwhelming experience of pain and suffering.
How does pain and suffering fit into the picture of the Christian “new birth”?
When the apostle Peter was imprisoned in Rome he wrote: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
The “new birth” in Christ is a living hope. An inexpressible joy. But then Peter shifts from the joy of a new birth to suffering and persecution: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1 Peter 1:6)
It almost seems a contradiction. A new birth granted by the love of Christ, only to be born into a world of pain, suffering and persecution.
Why the conflict? Peter gives the answer:
“These (trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” ( 1 Peter 1:7)
Just as birth comes with pain, so being born in Christ comes with trials and persecution. But just as the joy of a new child overshadows the pain, so the transformation in Christ shines like the beauty of gold refined in fire.
But why does Peter call this process a “test”?
When I was young I viewed life like a game. A competition testing the quality of one’s character.
God created earth as a testing ground and put us here to see if we could complete the course. Kind of like joining the army. Everyone has to complete boot camp to see who has the character to be a soldier. Those who fail the trials are kicked out.
As a Christian, I learned I was wrong. All of us have failed boot camp if that was God’s purpose in creation. Our character and will has not provided a victory over suffering and death.
But God did not create us to test our character, or leave us alone to our own devices and destruction. He created us for his love and joy. He created us to share in a relationship as a father and his children. It is not a game. It is not boot camp. It is not a refining process of penance.
Instead, God is a loving father doing whatever it takes to deliver his children from the hand of evil and share in the blessings and joy of God’s holiness.
And that’s where Peter’s “testing” makes sense and has context.
Peter describes suffering as a refining process, like gold in a fire.
Peter’s word “testing” (some Bible versions use the word “proof”) is a unique word in the original language and had reference to one who purified silver and gold for currency.
In the ancient world there was no banking system or ATM for cash. All money was made from metal. Gold and silver dug out of rocks, chipped away from the rubble and thrown into the furnace to remove the impurities to create pure silver and gold.
Likewise, we are God’s “currency,” his precious gold and silver. But he had to dig us out of the rocks, clean off the dirt and purify us through the blood of Christ.
The “testing” was not initiated or created by God. The suffering, persecution and trials are not from him. It is not God’s test but the consequences of our sin that creates the testing. God joins us in the testing through Jesus, but does not remove us from it.
God’s grace is sufficient, and our salvation is in Christ, but there is still a lot of rock, dirt and impurities on earth. We are forgiven and purified in Christ, but continue to live in a broken world and broken character: “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10)
“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19)
Life on earth is broken. No one is perfect. But in Christ each day you will find new pieces of silver and gold in the rubble of your trials. You might have dirt under your nails and sweat on your face but you will discover inexpressible treasures.
Life is hard whether you are a Christian or not. But who wants to dig through the rubble of life for treasures that fade? Instead, Christ provides a “new birth.” A delivery and life that is transformed by life’s trials, not defeated.
Dig into the rocks of life with Christ and you will find golden wisdom and peace of mind. Chip away at the dirt and trials of persecution and you will see that the open hand of Christ is better than a fist clenched to the fleeting desires of this world. You will see hatred and the trials of the world for what it is — rocks and rubble, not the silver and gold of God’s love.
Why rejoice in trials? Because the new birth means a new life. New eyes to see the treasures among the rocks and rubble of life. We rejoice because it means we are coming OUT of the dirt and rubble, not being left behind with those who want to stay in the rocks.
Be encouraged by the words of Peter: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…” (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Dr. David Zuccolotto is a former pastor and clinical psychologist. For 35 years he has worked for hospitals, addiction treatment centers, outpatient clinics and private practice. He is the author of The Love of God: A 70 Day Journey of Forgiveness.
