"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10)

Today's verse just keeps coming back to me! The Lord keeps speaking something into my life through the revelation that life's hardships have a purpose . . . a Holy and Divine purpose! It is so often easy to fall into feeling sorry for ourselves because of the set-backs we experience in life. We face disillusionments, disappointments, heartache, physical and emotional pain, sorrow . . . the list could go on forever. But when we realize that there is a reason . . . a Holy and Divine purpose for these things . . . we can submit to the work of the Master Refiner with determination to allow the "good work" which He has begun in us to be completed, regardless of the personal cost!

When we walk through the valley of life's sorrows, it appears that the Lord is doing a REFINING work in us. It is at these times in our life that He's decided it's time (once again) to burn out some of the impurities and to take another step toward making us into that pure vessel He has purposed us to be! But, this process is the most painful . . . the fire burns – it hurts -- it's nearly unbearable, and it gets VERY tiring after just a short while. We lose patience with the Master Refiner as He's doing His work in our lives. We want it over. . . and we want it over NOW! The sad thing is (at least for us) that if He stopped the process when we begged Him to, we would actually be worse off than before He started.

Can you see it . . . a piece of gold, roughly shaped, yet somewhat usable. The Master Refiner decides it's time to make this piece of gold into something He had been planning for a long time. He then puts this gold in the fire and it starts melting down to a liquid. The fire gets hotter and hotter . . . the gold becomes softer and softer as the heat gets higher and higher. The gold begins to scream out . . . "STOP! It's too much! I can't stand anymore!" If the Master Refiner listened to the gold, he would have to just let it set in its melted state. It would be totally useless, not only to Him, but to anyone else. So, the gold has to endure the Refiner's Fire. If only the gold itself knew the magnificent outcome . . . the vision the Master Refiner had for it . . . it would be easier to submit to the fire. But, because of the impurities in the gold, it is unable to see the finished product forever etched in the unsearchable mind of the Master Refiner.

We all wonder when it's all going to end and have the never-ending question in our minds . . . "Why do I have to go through all this?"! But we just have to know . . . be convinced in our hearts . . . that God has us right in the palm of His hand. He knows our frailties, He knows our pain. He knows our disillusionments, He knows our weakness. He knows . . . He knows . . . He knows! So, He has gone to work on us to further perfect us to be a vessel of honor unto Him. After all, that's what it's all about, isn't it? We ALL want to be a vessel of honor unto Him . . . mete for His use . . . suitable, pleasing, and glorifying to the Master Refiner.

Be blessed, my dear friends . . . God isn't through with us yet. Submit to His work in your life. Go ahead and grit your teeth and bear the pain for soon it will have produced its work in you to make you pleasing and acceptable . . . a marvelous glory unto Him!

Father, Master Refiner, have your way with me! There, I've said it, Lord! It was hard to say, but I really mean it . . . do in my life what needs to be done to make me, mold me, and shape me into the vessel of honor You have planned for me to be! Lord, I submit to Your refining fire, to Your strong hand that molds me and shapes me for Your glory. Father, help me to remember that the fire I walk through now has a Holy and Divine purpose in my life. Have Your way in me, Lord, so when anyone looks at me they will see only a reflection of You! Amen!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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