Refiner's Fire

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. -Isaiah 48:10

We go through refining seasons in our lives. Times when God really puts us through the fire to rid us of impurities that take away from our being the person that He has purposed us to be. We need to go through these times as painful as they may be, because it's in these times when we are tested and proved.

I write this because I am currently being put through the fire, looking at my situation in this way brings me hope and assurance that God has something important for me to learn through it. He is also using my testing as a means to witness to others as a source of encouragement and proof of His great power and grace when we choose to stand in our faith in Him. Don't get me wrong, though God gives me His grace to get through this time of fire and testing it HURTS! There is pain involved in this process, but as I continue to look to God, He is faithfully revealing His purpose in the pain. With eyes on Him I can endure. There is far more at stake here than my circumstances...it's a kingdom thing. Because i choose to look at it with Gods view point, knowing His power is made perfect in our weakest of times, I am waiting expectantly for His power to be manifested through the situation.

I just wanted to share this thought, in case any of you are going through fire right now too. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Remember in Isaiah 61:3 where it says God will bring beauty instead of ashes? If God takes us through the fire, He will surely bring us out a stronger more lovely creature than before we entered...We just need to keep trusting Him.

God has set the plan for each one of us before we were even born. He calls us, and when we accept the call, our mission begins. He allows things into our lives, defining moments that will test our faith, bringing us back to his perfect will for our lives.