trials.

1 Peter 1:6

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,"

Peter tells gives us some of the reasons that we go through trials in 1 Peter 1:6-9. I wanted to focus on just one reason to start out with. Notice he says that the trials will come "if necessary". God sovereignly allows trials to purify us. The purifying involves the burning away of any sin in our lives. Verse 7 compares it to metal being tested by fire. When the metal is held up under the fire, the impurities will burn away. God is doing what is necessary in our lives.

Sometimes these things aren't actually sins, but things that we have turned into sin ourselves. Any gift from God can become an idol in our lives.

So when going through a trial, it is often beneficial to do a self-examination.
This is not to say that all trials are for this reason (ie. persecution for the sake of righteousness). It's just to say that It is a good possibility.