A Word From Brenda
Behold I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
~It All Comes Down To Trust~
As I read these words this week, I began to think of what God was saying. The words "in" the furnace caught my eye. It is when I am in the furnace...that God sees what I am really made of. Sometimes, that's not so good. Fears, and insecurities surface to the top. Things that were safely hidden, suddenly show up during times of fire. There are strengths that I did not know were there, until faced with a challenge. Faith rises up in me, when things look hopeless. All the good and the bad, somehow it all comes out. I pray that God would continue to strengthen the strong parts, heal me of the brokenness, and rebuild my foundation from the very ground up, as He sees fit. I am becoming more and more thankful for these times, as I see the result that God is working through them. I used to suffer through extreme highs only to go into extreme low's. Now, I seem to have stabalized, a bit. So much more peace, resting in the shadow of His wing. And only by way of the trials do we come to that place of resting in the Lord. He is faithful, every time! He provides for our needs, and blesses us beyond anything we have ever hoped for! It is through the testing of our faith, that God is able to show us what He is made of. And that is good! Do you remember the story of the man that built his house upon the sand, and the other man who built his house upon the rock? The storms came to both of them, but one of them had a promise. A hope of Salvation. One had built upon a rock, that would stand through the storms and remain unchanged. While the other built upon things that seemed to just be slipping away. We know this story. We have heard it a hundred times; at least it seems like I have. But have I really understood it before now? We will suffer persecutions and hardships. We will be tried and tested, put through fire. Jesus said:
Mark 10 v.29,30
Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
In all these things God is still God, and He is in control. He is soverign, and He is God. There is none other. There is such a balance between living a victorious life in the Spirit, and understanding the testings and hardships that are allowed to come our way. It all comes down to trust. Once again, I am on my knees, seeking His face. Once again, I am faced with the choice to trust in Him and in the promises of His word. Once again, He is faithful!
II Timothy 1 v.12-14
For this reason I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed (trusted), and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed (entrusted) unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. Amen
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