Refiner's Fire

Refiner's fire

My heart's one desire is to be Holy

Set apart for you my Master

Ready to do Your Will

This was the song we sang today at Bible study.  It is not a new one to me but it hit home today.  I woke in the middle of the night and rolled over, only to be hit with a massive dizzy spell.  I knew that meant that I was going to wake with a huge migraine.  Which I did, but not just a migraine but a sinus headache too.  In case you did not know spring has sprung.  Every time I sneezed this morning it felt like my head would explode from the pain.  I wanted to go back to bed and sleep.  I trudged on because I knew the girls would be so disappointed if we did not go to CBS since we missed so many weeks because of the snow.  I took my migraine herbs and some excedrin and an extra strong hot tea.  We were off.  

On the way I just kept praying, "Lord you have to help me make it through this day."  In case you did not know I am an introvert so being around people is not high on my list when I have a headache.  When I have a headache I also get very claustrophobic, I need space.  I knew the only way I could make it through the study was if He was my strength.  Our small group's discussion was so good and then came the worship.  That song came up on the screen and at times it was hard to sing without choking on the words.  

As I said in my last post we were studying 2 Corinthians 6 this week.  Paul talks in this chapter about all he endured for the sake of the message of reconciliation, the gospel message.  He was appealing (exhorting, persuading, encouraging, or coming alongside) to the Corinthians to not take the grace they received from God in vain (not to take it lightly).  Paul endured so much to carry the gospel on his missionary journeys.  I feel silly comparing my headache to all that Paul endured.  Yet at the same time we all deal with things little and small every day that could keep us from ministering as we should.  Too often we let the cares of the world keep us from doing the will of the Lord.  Like the song said "ready to do His will."  His will for me today was to take my children to CBS so they could grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord their God.  

At the end our CBS leader was giving her talk to wrap things up for chapter 6.  She said, "pain is essential."  We can't ignore pain, we shouldn't wallow in it or make light of it, we shouldn't let it lead us down the path of questioning God or bargaining with Him, and we can't let it put distance between us and God.  When you get burned by something when cooking it hurts, sometimes for just a second and other times longer.  Sometimes the pain we endure for the sake of the gospel is just for a time and other times it is a long, drawn out process.  

In verse 10 Paul says "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."  One of our questions asked if we had ever experienced similar apparent contradictions in your walk.  The first thing that popped into my head was peace in the midst of times when I should not have peace according to the world's standards.  The time that this was the most evident to me was when we discovered I learned the baby I was carrying had died.  One of the first things I said to Ron was how thankful I was that I was a believer because I did not know how someone who did know the Lord would have peace.  I knew that the child was with the Lord and it gave me such peace in the midst of the pain.  I had watched others try to ignore the pain, some wallow in it, and other let it come between them and God.

I want to learn to better endure the pain and hardships the Lord allows in my life.  Why?  Paul lists off some Christlike qualities that he gained by enduring all that he did.  Verses 6 and 7  say, "by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God: with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left."  Those are qualities I want others to see in me when I am walking through pain and hardship.  I want those qualities to point them to the Lord.  I want those qualities to give glory to the Lord.  I want people to see the Lord and not me.

As God often does, He continued to beat me over the head.  Our leader ended with Romans 8:6-17.  "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."  Yes, I did quote that verse in my last post.  We want to be children of God and heirs with Christ so that we can be glorified with Him but there is a condition, "provided we suffer with Him."  We have to endure the Refiner's fire, we have to have the dross burned out of our lives.  

We will all walk through different trails for different amounts of time.  Don't run from it or try to get out of it.  Endure the fire, be refined.  Join me in seeking to be called holy and to be glorified with Him.