The Refiner's Fire
The Refiner's Fire
Have you ever wondered why others appear to have it so easy while you feel like you are literally drowning in life's despairs?
You feel all alone walking this road.
The intensity of life’s traumas are too much to bear all alone. Yet, we are not alone.
Without God’s presence the heart turns to bitterness, anger and weariness.
It’s painful!
Yet, this is what I have desired of God. To purify me. To make my heart pleasing to Him.
Lord take out all the ugliness out of my heart.
Please create a clean heart within me.
Ouch.
Yet I do know what I ask of my Father and I am aware it won’t be easy but yet He is so worth it!
Nothing even compares.
It is definitely not easy. And I can’t do it on my own.
I now know the difference between walking under the shadow of His Presence vs. my flesh.
He is my very oxygen.
“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. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:6-9 NIV
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:2-5 NIV
You cannot bring anyone with you on this journey. This is one on one with you and God.
The process of the refining requires a skilled goldsmith who is able to apply the perfect temperature of heat. Too much can destroy. Too little will not get the job done. He must not take his eyes off the process in order to protect and achieve to perfection the desired result.
Once our perspective changes as to why some feel more heat than others, it is indeed a tremendous blessing to know that our Father is taking the time to refine us, to actually spend time on me!
Because only He can see what the end result will be.
I asked, and He is doing.
Praise Him!
Melissa L.
