I often write notes in the margins of my Bible. Revelations when reading passages, fresh insights, links to other verses, illustrations for future talks, things I think God is saying… Well, consider my dismay when I opened my Bible to discover that 380 pages of notes had disappeared! The ink had literally vanished from the page.

I was so disappointed in the ephemeral nature of the ink. I had been using such a pretty pink pen. But what the pen possessed in prettiness, it lacked in permanence. Why didn’t it stand the test of time? Why was it, that when left next to the heater, the rising temperature had made my notes fade away?

Luckily, I was able to hold each page, yes all 380, up to the light and just about make out the indentations that the nib had left on the page to go back over my notes with a more permanent pen.

These [all kinds of 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 honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7 NIV)

It’s true that when the temperature of life rises, our faith is tested. When trials come and heat up our lives, it puts our faith to the test – will it fade away or endure and remain strong to the end?

Our faith isn’t about what it looks like on the outside – it’s not about how pretty our lives appear to be. We shouldn’t be living lives of pink ink! If we want our lives to result in praise, glory and honour then we’re going to need to embrace the trials that refine and purify our faith rather than shrink back and disappear when the temperature heats up.

Next time you feel the temperature increasing, don’t despair, but celebrate that this is a moment for your faith to display its lasting power and permanence bringing praise to the very One who gave you that gift of faith in the first place.