How are we to deal with trials? What is the purpose for such calamities? Often when we are faced with trials we feel sorry for ourselves, wishing life was not so hard on us. Then we remember, the Lord commands us to be content, so we say to ourselves “I am content”, but we do not act it out. We usually shake it off and ignore the command, then continue with the pity party we have amerced ourselves in. What we practice, is what we believe, the rest is nothing but religious talk. Saying we are content will accomplish nothing if we do not live it out. Lately I have not been living out true contentment on the inside, but recently the Lord has convicted me of that. He has showed me the purpose for calamities, and shown me what I was really supposed to be doing.
The Lord uses trials for many reasons; one of the reasons is to continually refine us. We are imperfect vessels that He is constantly refining to His image. He does so by (purposefully) placing us in the furnace of testing. Though the process is often painful, it will result in being more precious than we can comprehend. The process of refining is not a one time thing; it is a continual process that will only cease when we stand face to face with the King of kings.
Joseph was clearly placed into the fiery furnace of testing. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. Life was not looking bright for Joseph. After all that had happened to him, we would not have blamed him if he had spent every moment weeping in despair. We would not be surprised if he had held a national pity party in his honor, but it is how he responded to the furnace that is incredible. He worshiped God in prison, and the men around him saw it. He chose to glorify God in the midst of the furnace. He was tested, and he succeeded. Because he succeeded the Lord brought him into a place of abundance. He brought him out of prison and appointed him ruler over the most powerful empire in the world. He was able to provide food for his family, who would have starved in the famine, as well as everyone else. What Satan meant for evil, God used for good. At one point the same brothers who had betrayed him were standing face to face with him. At that point he had the power to kill them, but instead he forgave them. Joseph was placed in the fiery furnace of testing, and he succeeded. Because he succeeded, God brought him into a place of abundance!
God uses trials to transform us!
What if we are currently in the midst of a trial and have not been dealing with it properly and are just at this very moment realizing it? What are we to do? We are to repent immediately and worship God. Though it is painful, the result is precious.
Look at Job for example; he was faced with an agonizing trial. How did he respond? He immediately fell down and worshiped God! God placed him in the furnace of testing and he succeeded, and because he succeeded, God brought him into a place of abundance!
We are to respond as Job and Joseph responded. We are to worship God in the midst of our trials, and He will bring us into a place of abundance! He continues to refine us over and over, to transform us into His image. He will do so until we see His face. Let us praise Him in the times of pain and in the times of joy. For He is the silversmith of our souls!
“For You O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver
Is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on
Our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water; But You brought us
Out to rich fulfillment.” ~Psalm 66:10-12
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