Refining Fire

"I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering." Isaiah 48:10

How many hardships have you faced of late?  I feel like I have faced more than my fair share. Platitudes like "life is not fair" immediately run through my head. But why, I think? Why does life have to be so hard? Didn't God know what He was doing when He created the earth, when he drew man out of the dust and dirt? "Of course He did!" my own thoughts reply...but my heart still says, "this isn't right." Why can't I just have a normal and peaceful life. Why can't people just leave me be? Why doesn't God?

Answer: because He is making us ready. God allows things to come against us to help make us stronger. This is called refining fire. Make no mistake, God does not send these trials after us. He is not the source of our troubles. Sometimes, it is us that get ourselves in trouble, sometimes it is others, and sometimes it is the devil and his cohorts who get things started.

We have all heard the expression, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and "No pain, no gain". These are absolutely true. "Sorrow is better than laughter, for sorrow has a refining influence on us." Ecclesiastes 7:3

The point is that all the pain, suffering, and irritation that we suffer matures us. It makes us more understanding, wiser, then we were before. It's not all pointless. Don't give up hope. Endure.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "For everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."
Take heart, this season won't last forever. The harvest is coming.

Sam