Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement

I’ve been spending a good bit of time in the Old Testament, and this passage really spoke to me this morning: “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10, NIV This Scripture talks about the “furnace of affliction,” where we can either give up and get sour or say, “God, I’ll show You what I’m made of. I’ll forgive those who hurt me. I’ll keep believing even though it looks impossible. I’ll stay in faith even though it was unfair. I’ll reflect your image, love, mercy, and grace into my circumstances.” When we pass those tests, something is deposited deep inside us that nothing and no one can take away. There is a trust, a confidence, a knowing that can be developed only by going through the fire of affliction. The hotter the fire, the purer the outcome! Through this refining process, I’ve learned that God is not as interested in changing my circumstances as He is in changing me. Where we are today is not nearly as important as who we are becoming. While God is changing the “where,” I want you to allow Him to begin changing the “who.” God puts us in the furnace to refine us, to take out the impurities, selfishness, impatience, anger, and resentment. If we let God refine us and make the necessary changes in our lives so we treat people well and handle disappointments without complaining, we can be used for God’s highest purposes. We are never more like Jesus than when we are loving and helping hurting people.