PREVIEW: Fiery trials aren’t much fun, to say the least. But scripture often presents God as the great silversmith and you as the precious but unrefined silver. And when you are in the Refiner’s fire, be assured that you will never be left in the fire too long, but neither will you be taken out too soon. Rather, you will always be under the watchful eye of the One who fully understands the refining process. And when, as a result of the fire, your life reflects the image of Christ, you will be ready, purified like pure silver, fit and pleasing to God. So, if you are in a fiery trial, hang in there; you’re going to really shine when it is all said and done.
A Journey of Worship // Psalm 66:10-12
What is the difficulty that you are going through at this moment in your life? My prayer is that God will use this trial to develop deeper character in you.
I realize that trials aren’t much fun. But I also know that God uses problems and pain in our lives to do some of his best work. James 1:2-4 says, “Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”
The psalmist saw the difficult situations God allowed Israel to endure in that light. I hope that you, too, will see your trying situation, above all else, as the work of the Great Refiner to bring about his pure character in you.
I came across this story of how a silversmith describing the process of purifying silver. I hope it gives you a whole new perspective:
The silversmith said, “To refine the silver, I sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured. I never take my eye off the silver in the furnace. I don’t want to take it out too early because if I take it out too early, it won’t be purified. But I don’t want to leave it in the fire too long, because if I do, it will be injured. When the silver is in the fire, I focus. I don’t let anything distract me. I let nothing take my focus off the silver. I watch the silver carefully, waiting for the right moment to take it out.”
The silversmith was asked, “How do you know when it is the right moment?”
And he said, “I know the silver is pure when I can see my face reflected in it.”
The Old Testament prophet Malachi describes God as a refiner and purifier of silver: “He’ll be like white-hot fire from the smelter’s furnace. He’ll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He’ll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He’ll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they’re fit for God, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to God.” (Mal 3:2-5)
What a profound picture of God, the great silversmith, and you, the silver. You are never left in the refiner’s fire too long or taken out too soon but are always under the watchful eye of the one who fully understands the refining process. And when, as a result of the fire, your life reflects the image of Christ, you will be ready, purified like pure silver, fit and pleasing to God.
Hang in there; you’re going to really shine when this is all said and done.
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