In his 1888 book, Twilight of the Idols Friedrich Nietzsche wrote the
(infamous and) oft quoted phrase, “What does not kill me
makes me stronger” and the usual response to that when we are going
through trials is “Yeah, RIGHT, but this horrible thing I am going through
right now Really STINKS!”
While we all go through trials in life, it is our response to them
that determines both our character and our future direction.
You can either sit, soak, and sour or
surpass, shine, and soar -
it all depends on how you choose to face the trial.
Difficulties in life are indeed the 'Furnice of Affliction,'
but the end result is well worth it when you yield to the lesson:
“Gold and Silver are TESTED by FIRE,
And a person’s heart is
TESTED by the LORD.”
Proverbs 17:3
Just as extreme heat is used to separate impurities from precious metal,
likewise through the fire of our trials our teachers come to light and
then God can cleanse and purify us. And while we can resist and
choose to avoid the fire, if we do so our metal
will never be pure and we will never receive the riches that can
be released from within. As the psalmist wrote also:
“God you have proved us and tried us
Just as silver is tried and purified...
We went through fire and through water
But in the end you brought us out into a
WEALTHY PLACE”
Psalm 66:10,12b
(Paraphrased)
Our trials may not be easy, but trust God through them,
because when you are PURIFIED, you will realize your WEALTH.
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