Today I want to talk about the refiner’s fire. There are times in our lives when everything seems to be against us. It’s easy to believe that maybe we did something to displease God or to make Him angry. Often, this can be the response of people around us when we go through something hard.
However, that isn’t necessarily the truth. Take a look at many of the heroes of the Bible. Life didn’t always go as they would have liked.
Biblical Examples
Joseph in the book of Genesis was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent a long time in prison before God ever raised him up to be 2nd only to Pharoah in Egypt.
David spent a long time in hiding from King Saul before He was made King. Job had everything taken from him including his wife, children, his wealth, and his health as Satan tested him. However, when he showed himself faithful, God restored everything to him two-fold.
The Apostle Paul spent much of his time in prison.
The Refiner’s Fire- Refining Diamonds
Think of a diamond when it is first pulled out of the earth. It doesn’t look anything like that beautiful stone we see in jewelry stores. It has to go through a process where it is refined and all the impurities are removed.
The same is true for gold. As gold is melted down and heated up, the dross rises to the surface to be scraped off until the gold is purified.
God does the same thing in our lives. He loves us unconditionally. However, He loves us so much that he doesn’t want us to stay as we are.
Throughout our lives, he will work in us to purify us. Many times it is through the trials we go through that our faith is tested. But be encouraged, He promised us that we would never be tempted beyond what we can handle.
Other Verses About the Refiner’s Fire
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
1 Peter 1:7 NIV
“Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”
Isaiah 48:10 NIV
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. “
Job 23:10 NIV
“The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.”
Proverbs 17:3 NIV
Sometimes, it may seem like God isn’t there or that He’s forgotten you. But He hasn’t. He promised us that he would “never leave us nor forsake us”. It is in those dark times when we can’t see him that He carries us.
Conclusion
So, be encouraged. You may be going through the Refiner’s fire but that only means that God is strengthening you and helping you to grow. Life is a journey of faith preparing us for eternity with Him. There will be ups and downs, but He will be with you through it all.
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