From the Pen of Pastor Joe: Remember Jesus Hasn't Forgotten You in the Fire

A post-Sunday write-up from Sunday's service, October 25, 2026

From the pen of Pastor Joe

Part 2 of "What Happens When the Bottom Drops Out? Finding Faith in Times of Crisis"

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 1:1-9

Introduction: From the Storm to the Fire

Last week, we began this series by looking at a terrifying night on the Sea of Galilee. We watched the disciples panic as a furious storm threatened to sink their boat, and we discovered a foundational truth that we must cling to in any crisis: when the bottom drops out, remember Jesus is still in the boat.

But sometimes, the crisis isn't a sudden storm that passes overnight. Sometimes, the bottom drops out and you find yourself entering a long, grueling season of pressure. The setting shifts from a raging sea to a blazing furnace.

That is exactly where the Apostle Peter finds himself writing to the early church in 1 Peter 1:1-9. He addresses believers who are scattered, suffering, and facing what he calls "grief in all kinds of trials." They were feeling isolated, abandoned, and pushed to their absolute limits.

When the initial shock of a crisis wears off and the heat gets turned up, the enemy whispers a devastating lie into your soul: "God has abandoned you. He has forgotten where you are." But Peter writes this letter to declare the exact opposite to you today: when the bottom drops out, God hasn't forgotten you in the fire.

Point 1: Your Inheritance is Kept Even When Your  Present is Shaken

When a crisis hits, our immediate human instinct is to look at what we are losing. We look at a failing bank account, a deteriorating body, or a broken relationship, and we feel like our entire life is being dismantled.

Look at what Peter reminds these suffering believers of in verses 3–4. He says God has given us "a new birth into a living hope... and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade." He explicitly adds that this inheritance is "kept in heaven for you."

The word "kept" here means it is under heavy military guard. The Roman Empire could take their homes, their wealth, and even their earthly lives, but they could not touch their eternal destiny.

When the bottom drops out of your earthly circumstances, it forces you to realize that your most valuable treasures are completely out of reach from the enemy. God hasn't forgotten you in the fire; He is actively guarding your future while you endure the present. The furnace can burn up your comfort, but it cannot touch your calling or your eternity.

Point 2: The Fire is Refining You, Not Destroying You

None of us enjoy the heat of a trial. We pray for a quick exit. But Peter gives us a radical perspective on suffering in verses 6–7. He writes, "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These 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."

Gold is placed into a crucible and subjected to extreme heat for one reason: to bring the dross, the impurities, to the surface so the refiner can skim them away. How does the refiner know when the gold is pure? He knows it is ready when he can look into the molten metal and see his own reflection.

The fire you are standing in right now is not meant to consume you; it is meant to purify you. God allows the heat to rise so that fear, pride, and self-reliance are burned away, leaving behind a faith that is pure, resilient, and unbreakable. When the bottom drops out, remember that you are in the Master's hands. He hasn't forgotten you in the furnace; He is sitting by the fire, watching over the process, and He will not leave you until He sees His reflection in your life.

Conclusion

Peter concludes this passage by reminding us of the ultimate goal: "the end result of your faith is the salvation of your souls." The storm didn't sink you last week, and the fire will not destroy you this week.

Take-Away Action Steps for the Week Ahead

To walk out your faith in the furnace this week, put these three steps into practice:

Anchor in the Word Daily: When the heat rises, our feelings will lie to us. Counteract your feelings by meditating on 1 Peter 1:3-9 every morning. Let Truth dictate your reality, not your emotions.

Audit Your Losses vs. Your Eternal Gains: Sit down with a piece of paper. On one side, acknowledge what this crisis has taken from you. On the other side, write out what can never be taken from you—your salvation, God's love, and your eternal inheritance. Focus on what remains.

Refuse to Speak Defeat: When people ask you how you are doing in the midst of the trial, acknowledge the heat but declare the Refiner's faithfulness. Shift your testimony from "I'm burning up" to "God is refining me, and I will come out as gold."

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we praise You that You are a God who walks with us through the fire. For every person here who feels forgotten, overlooked, or consumed by the heat of their trials, let Your Holy Spirit bring an overwhelming sense of Your presence right now. Remind us that our inheritance is secure, our future is heavily guarded by You, and this present suffering is producing a faith of greater worth than gold. Keep us steady in the crucible until we reflect You perfectly. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.