Different - Part 1: Different Faith in Trials with Craig Groeschel - Life.Church

Different Faith in the Middle of Trials

Scripture References

Primary text

• 1 Peter 1:1
• 1 Peter 1:6-7
• 1 Peter 1:8-9

Other references

• Matthew 13
• Luke 22:31-32
• James 1:2
• John 16:33

Overview

Peter writes to first–century believers facing brutal persecution and reminds them that, as followers of Jesus, they are foreigners on earth and called to live differently. Because this world is not our home, our faith in seasons of suffering looks different—it can be genuine, tested, and full of “glorious, inexpressible joy.” Pastor Craig applies Peter’s words to anyone hurting today, exposing false forms of faith, showing how trials both reveal and deepen real faith, and inviting every listener to move from shallow belief to authentic dependence on Christ.

Context

• Letter written between A.D. 60-65, during Emperor Nero’s reign.
• Nero blamed and tortured Christians after the great fire of Rome—dressing them in animal skins for wild dogs and burning them as human torches.
• Peter’s audience is already suffering; his call to “be glad” and hope in Christ lands in that extreme setting.

Main Points

We Are Foreigners Here

• Peter opens by calling believers “foreigners / exiles / strangers.”
• Because heaven is our true home, our values, ethics, relationships, money, and reactions to mistreatment should all look different.

A Different Kind of Faith in Trials

• 1 Peter 1:6-7: present suffering may last “for a little while,” yet great joy lies ahead.
• Trials have purpose: they prove whether faith is genuine or false.

Three Common Forms of False Faith

• Inherited faith – “My parents were Christians, so I must be.”
• Shallow faith – Roots are thin; worries and worldly desires choke commitment (Matthew 13).
• Conditional faith – “I believe as long as life goes my way.”

Signs of Genuine Faith

“Faith that’s been tested is a faith that can be trusted.”

• Testing exposes weakness but also strengthens what is real (James 1:2).
• Example: Peter’s own denial and restoration (Luke 22:31-32) turned an inconsistent fisherman into the bold preacher of Pentecost.

How God Uses Trials

1. Trials reveal your faith.
   • Hardship shows whether Jesus is your foundation or merely an option.
2. Trials draw you closer to God.
   • 1 Peter 1:8-9 describes loving and trusting Christ without seeing Him, resulting in “glorious, inexpressible joy.”
   • The gospel’s good news is not that God removes every trial but that He saves our souls (John 16:33).
   • God often allows more than we can handle so we’ll rely on His strength, not our own.

Illustration & Story

• Illustration: Life-group roots – Without mid-week community, many fall away within six months; roots grow deep when believers meet, pray, study, and correct one another.
• Story: Pastor Craig’s daughter Mandy contracted mono that developed into chronic illness. Ongoing pain pushed the family to desperate prayer, trips to Mayo Clinic, and deeper intimacy with God. Mandy now shares hope with others through YouTube, declaring, “Hope is my middle name.”

Key Truths

• A believer’s true citizenship is in heaven; life on earth is a temporary assignment.
• Trials are not evidence of God’s absence; they are tools He uses to expose and refine faith.
• False faith crumbles under pressure, but tested faith stands and grows.
• God’s promise is salvation and presence, not a trouble-free life.
• Supernatural joy can coexist with real pain when our confidence rests in who Christ is, not in what we see.

Response

• Examine whether your faith is inherited, shallow, conditional, or genuine.
• Take a concrete step—join a life group, serve, confess sin—to drive spiritual roots deeper before “the devil takes you out.”
• Re-anchor hope in Christ during current trials; thank Him for the purpose He is working in your pain.
• Depend daily on God’s strength instead of self-sufficiency.
• Share your story; let God use your hurt to bring hope to someone else.

Closing

Peter’s letter—and today’s message—calls every follower of Jesus to exchange casual, comfortable religion for a faith proven real in fire. Suffering is certain, but so is the Savior who overcomes the world and fills His people with a joy words cannot capture.

“Our faith is not in what we see; our faith is in who God is.”

Pastor Craig ended by inviting anyone with false or fading faith to go public, trust Christ wholly, and live genuinely different from this world.

Prayer

Pastor Craig prayed for those in trials—asking God for healing, provision, restored relationships, and the peace that surpasses understanding—then led seekers to surrender to Jesus for forgiveness and new life.