Through the Fire

One of the ways our relationship (driven by faith, love and trust) with God can be deepened is through trials. Going through trials may be challenging but it is needful. It builds your relationship with God.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

There are two key reasons why you should go through the trials. The first is for growth. You may sometimes wonder how any person can be happy when faced with diverse trials. It could be a terminal illness, unpaid debts, loss of money, jobs or a spouse etc. Nevertheless, the book of James reminds us to be joyful when these situations arise. Why? Because trials are a means to an end (see verse four). Trials build trust in your relationship with God, knowing that He loves you and is working out the best end to that trial.

The second is that God has made you fireproof and waterproof! So what are you afraid of? In Isaiah 43:2 God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (NLT)

The fire of trials is to refine and burn away every impurity that has held you bound. Look at the three young Hebrew boys who were thrown into the furnace. First, the fire did not burn them. Instead, the only things that were melted in the fire were the ropes that held them bound. Second, Christ was in the fire with them (Daniel 3:25). This episode is an analogy to the verse in Isaiah and to let you know that no trial is enough to sink you. Rather you are to sink every trial through the power of Christ in you.

Today, welcome every trial with joy, knowing that God is refining and making you perfectly complete and lacking nothing. Be joyful because God allows trials to mould you into all that He wants you to be.

Prayer

Prayer for this week

Father, I give You thanks for the trials of yesterday, today and tomorrow. I thank You because You are doing good work in me. Thank You Father as You give me grace to bear up. Open my eyes to see as You see, open my ears to hear You and please give me a heart to obey every instruction given by the Holy Spirit in this time. Amen.