[[ 1 Peter 1:6-7/KJV]]
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
John testified of Jesus that he would baptise with Holy Spirit and fire....Jesus said that the Spirit would separate the grain from the chaff...Peter concludes that our suffering of trails and temptations purifies us like gold in fire.
The man to whom God gave more wisdom than any other concluded by experience that nothing that can be done or gained in this earth has any value that is not fleeting...saying it is all vanity and vexation of the soul.
I would believe all of us have asked God why at some point. There are always in every situation a "friend of Job" to tell us God is angry at us or we have no faith or we are in sin...at times that "friend" is our own heart.
Consider with me for a moment an allegory for this thing in the life of Paul. Paul as an apostle is a ambassador of Jesus in this role he had told those with him not to set sail. Those with him chose instead to trust the council of a worldly captain. As they set sail(vessel) on the sea(world)a great storm arose(trials). No matter how hard they tried their experience of how to steer a ship could not bring the vessel under control. They tried to lighten the load and gain control by throwing away all that was unnecessary...no help. They next tried to gain control by throwing away what was surely necessary to steer if perhaps they might gain control if only in the storm. finally they consigned themselves to death. Paul(Jesus) stands up and encourages them That God will not let them be lost as long as they are with him though the vessel will be broken and lost.
If none of this had happened a young man would not have been healed and a entire tribe would not have heard the gospel.
Their is hardship and pain in this world...God allows it in his long suffering so that all who would accept him can be given time to accept his life.
The fire applied to us who have believed is often what is needed to make us turn loose of that which we trust in that is not truly expedient to life. It is not to harm us but to show us and those who are around us the pure undefiled trust and reliance upon only God...that at Jesus appearing we will be vessels of praise and honor and glory.
For this gain Peter says greatly rejoice though you are in heaviness.
