Well, I don't know where you are in your walk with the Lord right now, but God is answering my request to hold me fast. Like you, my feet are made of clay and how easily when things are going well, we can lose our focus on the Lord and not look to Him for everything. I've asked God to keep me close and dependent upon Him, at any cost, so I don't move toward independence ~ to keep me at His feet and dependent on Him for ALL things.
Hardships are no picnic, but in many ways they are our best friends, they draw us into His Presence and that is the best thing that can happen to us. Trials bring Him into focus much more clearly ~ when we are in need, we tend to pursue Him; when things are going well, we, often, act independently. In our hardships, our pursuit of Him deepens our intimacy with Him. We are more likely to run to God, when we are in need and things are out of our control and beyond what we can do. We learn through these times that we can depend on Him, completely, for everything! When we are walking in obedience, we have the opportunity to see His Presence, to hear His voice and to come to know Him on a much deeper level. No, trials are not fun, but I notice a big difference in my intimacy THROUGH them ~ I find myself missing the depth that only they can bring.
Trials refine us, like silver, when heated to the point of melting, the dross or impurities can be skimmed off the top. Trials, in God's hands, are used to purify us so His reflection can be more clearly seen. Like the silver smith, hovering over his work, with the greatest of care, knowing exactly the right amount of heat to apply, before cooling it down and reheating it again, (until his reflection can be seen). God too, doesn't leave our side and doesn't give us anymore than what we can handle in Him. He knows exactly how much of the fiery trials to apply at a given time, to eventually, see His reflection in us. Heated trials can drain the cockiness and the "I know" right out of us. Fiery trials bring us to our knees, in a place of humility and dependence ~ they remove that "I can do it myself attitude".
Ever see a teen, crying out for their independence, "I can do it myself. I'm old enough to_________." (You fill in the blank) They are crying out for their independence and complaining about the unfairness ~ as we argue their need for more maturity and more responsibility to be shown. They retort back all the reasons why they are old enough, responsible enough, and should be given this desired privilege. They are, often, too immature to see the hypocrisy of their argument. Maybe, they are wanting their own car, but want us to buy it, or pay the insurance. Maybe, they are crying out they are old enough to handle a mobile phone responsibly, but again they want us to pay for the phone and the service. They don't want the responsibility to have to work a job to buy the car & pay the insurance or to buy the phone & pay for the minutes used; they want us to do that, while they tout about their independence. We recognize their immaturity, we realize if we gave them the independence that they are shouting so loudly for, that they wouldn't be able to stand alone.
In the same way, God sees our immaturity, as Christians ~ we can be blinded to our own weaknesses, our desire to be independent, to go it alone, but God sees them clearly. God isn't out to make our lives miserable, but like the silver smith, is working on something of great value and has every intention of using the heat for good ~ God can use hardships to grow us. If you are going through difficulties, I encourage you to see it as an invitation from the "Holy One" to draw near to Him and to enjoy every moment of that deep intimacy and dependence ~ it's a gift, whether you are choosing to see it that way or not. God uses these fiery trials or tests for our benefit and to the benefit of those around us.
Exodus 20:18-20 says,
When the people (the Israelites) saw the thunder and lightening and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, God has come to TEST you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
God wasn't trying to hurt His people, God uses the tests and trials in our lives to keep us from sinning ~ to bring us into a right relationship with a Holy God, a proper respect or fear. They are brought into our lives out of His deep love for us, to make us eternity ready!
If you are looking for some fun reading ~ my friend, Linda, recently, reminded me of the book, Hinds Feet In High Places, which is where I got my word picture, in a previous blog, of me crawling off the altar. If you haven't read this book by Hannah Hubbard, it's written in allegory style and gives great insight to our fears and the trials of life and how God uses the "deserts" in our lives for our benefit and His glory. I've read it several times and was disheartened to find my copy, soaking wet, when our garage flooded, recently, from all the melting snow. This book is a reread! I plan to get another copy! If you haven't read it, check it out!
If you are going through fiery trials, at the moment, I encourage you, my dear friend, to choose to use them to fuel your pursuit and passion for the God, who loves you beyond what you can think to imagine! How He longs for you to look to Him for all your needs! To trust, to love Him with all your heart! Won't you seek Him?
2 Chronicles 16:9 says,
"For the eyes of the LORD range (roam) throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."
The more we SEEK HIM, the more we FIND HIM, the more we FIND HIM, the more we LOVE HIM! ASK HIM, my friend, to fuel your passion and pursuit of Him ~ how He longs for you to love Him above all else and to TRUST HIM in and for all things!
The first and greatest commandment can be found in Matthew 22: 37-38:
Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."
Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
In Deuteronomy 4 we get a glimpse of God's dealings with His nation Israel, we can learn alot about God's character and His requirements as we read, beginning in verse 25:
"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time ~ if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking Him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. The LORD will scatter you among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you SEEK the LORD your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey Him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which He confirmed to them by oath. Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything like it ever been heard of? Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of a fire, as you have, and lived? Has any god ever tried to take for Himself on nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides Him there is no other. From heaven He made you hear His voice to discipline you. On earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words from out of the fire. Because He loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, He brought you out of Egypt by His Presence and His strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today. Acknowledge and take heart this day the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep His decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time."
God demands obedience, commitment, a heart devoted to Him, alone and is a jealous God ~ He will use discipline and trials to test our faith and to draw us into the maturity of obedience. Don't detest the hardships, as we love our children and discipline them, so God loves us and acts only in love on our behalf! Draw near to Him, my friend, how He longs for you to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength! He loves you deeply! I'm praying for you!
