1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
You will receive a crown of Glory when Jesus makes His glorious appearance at the end of time. This crown is likely the same as the crown of Life promised to overcomers in Revelation. The Life of God that He shares with us, the life we have inside now by faith, will be revealed as Glory when we see it unveiled. We will share and see and be eternally amazed at the brilliant glory of God. We, our lowly, sinful selves, will be transformed to be like His glorious Transfiguration-looking Resurrection body.
Meanwhile, while we wait in the sure Hope of Glory we endure a ”crown of thorns,” a life of pain and suffering caused by Sin, our own sin. Once the sin is paid for, judged, redeemed, forgiven, and removed by Christ we receive a crown by faith. We still experience frustrations, disappointments, fears, doubts, failures, pains, afflictions during this life under the cross we bear. But alongside, we have been given a crown that rules over and overcomes the Evil Enemies of life. In the midst of the sin, curse, guilt, shame, death, emptiness, hopelessness, and despair in which we live in this world comes the Life of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
We wear this Crown now by faith in the promise and expectation of receiving it. We are kings and priests of God in the Kingdom overcoming now and forever. And all this will be revealed when the chief Shepherd appears.