Through the Fire
Fire is an intense visual image of great trial, difficulties, even pain.
There is a wonderful song that proclaims these words,
“He never promised that the cross would not be heavy,
or that hill would not be hard to climb.
He never offered His victory without fighting,
but He said help would always come in time!
Just remember when you’re standing in the valley of decision,
and the adversary says give in.
Just hold on, our God will show up and
He will take you through the fire again!”
You see, the trials of Christianity are every single day. The trials never end as we are always being tested for our devotion to the Lord and willingness to share His truth and love with others.
The enemy wants nothing more than to see us fail. Likewise, difficulties abound as this world is in opposition with the Spirit within us and the Spirit in us is in opposition with the world!
How could there not be difficulties when every day is a spiritual battleground for the minds and hearts of believers!
Pain, even pain, is almost a guarantee to the people of this world including Christians. Pain will come in many forms because we simply are broken from our original purpose as creatures of the living God.
Humans, being created to have a right relationship with God, have broken their original place and have chosen selfish desires instead. You and I still see the effects of the original act of disobedience and commit the same offense today. Of course there will be pain in this world as long as the order of right relationship with God is not in place.
But, there is a fire. It is not an evil fire, not a fire of eternal punishment, it is the Refiner’s fire!
In the refining process of metals, the objects are placed into a scorching fire. It is not meant to torture these metals, to maniacally cause pain to these metals. No, The purpose of the Refiner’s fire is to remove the impurities and bring forth a pure, beautiful, usable piece of metal to be used for the refiner’s use!
The Lord takes us through His holy fire and we are brought forth new, purpose-filled, beautifully formed and shaped, to be used!!!
The Lord our God, our Creator and Sustainer, the ultimate Refiner wants to use the creation which He so fearfully and wonderfully made! Will you let yourself be put through the Refiner’s fire, enduring the trials with the victory He has already won for you?
