Isn't it cool how nature reflects the Creator and His handiwork and the visual way He refines us to be like Him? Take, for example, diamonds...it takes tons of pressure to make a diamond a diamond...pottery-round and round the wheel it goes...one flaw and it's round and round the wheel! Gold is refined by fire. Our faith is more valuable than that...so, why should we think we're any different than gold or diamonds or a vessel that's used to drink from?
Testing seems to be a part of life...for all of us...Whether we like it or not and it's not something we can control...are you on the wheel today, being pressurized or going through fire?
When one has believed certain things all one's life and the Father of lights, Father of Truth wants to change and transform one's thinking to conform to His thoughts and His truth, He sheds light on a dark area of your thoughts, your heart, your emotions, etc...well, that is what I'm talkin' about...
We're moving and I don't really want to move. I love this house, the three acres, and the quiet. But the time is coming soon for us to be nearer to people and although I know that's true, it doesn't make it any easier.
We're also going through a financial transition and so I'm again learning, on a deeper level, the real meaning of offering up a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of my lips giving God the praise He's due, despite what I see, feel, don't see, don't feel, don't hear, etc. He is still God and worthy of my love, adoration, trust, and devotion.
He's been showing me what's really in my heart and mind. Some of the time, I have succumbed to the pressure and wanted to get out of the situation immediately. 'GET ME OFF THIS WHEEL!' 'I HATE THIS PLACE OF STRUGGLE.' Yet, I hear the voice in my spirit saying, 'Allow Me to refine you, make you more like Me and speak like Me, believe like Me. Walk with Me down the narrow road."
The road that leads to Life is narrow and few are they that find it...every believer has the opportunity to walk that road. We all have testings.
Last nite, we watched the makings of "The Hiding Place" because the DVD wasn't working and Corrie Ten Boom* went through different parts of that time in her life and shared her heart on the experiences(*she was in a concentration camp, Ravensbruck, in Germany)...she literally lived the walk down that narrow road and did not become bitter, try to escape the pain by hardening her heart toward the German Reich, but rather she experienced a nearness to Jesus through the desperation of the situation. She forgave, trusted, believed and God delivered her and was able to use her mightily. What an example to all of us of one who was willing to 'go through', and not give up.
When I get to the other side of testing, what image will I be molded into? What image will you be molded into?
...when we give in to the temptation to quit, succumb to the things that are trying to lie or destroy us, then we've been molded to that image, i.e.-fear, distrust, anger, hardness,
bitterness.
But if we endure the testing, see it for what it is, count it all joy, then we are able to turn our eyes to the One in charge of the Universe and allow Him to mold us into His image, whereby we then have more love, patience, grace, kindness, and strength to go through it, and not become bitter, hard, and deceived. The outcome benefits others, and we find LIFE.
This is so being worked out in me right now...everything in my mind wants to run away, make things 'all better' and have no external trials, but even if all the externals are worked out in my time, my way, I'm still the same immature person on the inside and never get to the place of understanding what true joy is...I choose JOY.
All that said, I choose not to look at what I see (with my eyes), not to place blame, not to give into pity parties that are inviting me to come hang out. I choose to look upwards and take every thought that comes into my head through the filter of what the Creator of the Universe has promised and done, and since He doesn't lie...(he's not a man that He should lie or human that he should change His mind), then I know that whatever the outcome, it will bring Him honor and be pleasing to Him. That is my ambition in life.
Have a great weekend.
daune
1 comment:
Thank you for posting this. I can relate to what you are speaking of in this message, because I know that so much is being worked out in me right now. Light is being shed on areas in my heart that must be changed. I am thankful. I want the change, but it can be very uncomfortable going through the process. I like the image of the diamonds that you have painted for me. Thank you. ((Hugs))
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