When we face tough times or challenges in life, it is easy to give in, feel down or defeated. Yet there is nothing in life that happens without purpose. We are being renewed daily - bringing us closer to God should be our goal. Yet life isn't perfect now is it? If we didn't know good times, we could not understand the bad, and without the bad, we cannot appreciate the good.
Instead of looking at the challenges life brings as a negative, take the opportunity to look within. What is it we need to learn? What is it bringing up within that is not healed? Why is it in that moment we cannot seem to find center, find God and act in love? This is where we are to hit our knees...seek until we find what needs to go. This is the very essence of being in the fire - for it is in the fire of the Refiner that we are cleaned and brought out new.
When a gold smith fashions anything from gold or silver, he must first rid the metal of its impurities. To do so, he must heat the metal at extremely high temperatures - so that every impurity can come to the surface. As the impurities or dross comes to the surface - it can be stripped away...again the metal goes back into the fire and the process is repeated until all the impurities have fallen away. How does the gold smith know when the process is done? When he can see his REFLECTION in the metal.
If we are being refined, it is to remove anything that is not of God within. If we are made in the IMAGE of God - then it is God's reflection we should see when we view ourselves. If we cannot see God when we look....then we go back into the fire - over and over until all that remains is God...Love...I Am. Resent not the fire my friends...for you are being shaped into the image and glory of God.![]()
↧