Refined by Fire

God visited our church last week.  That’s not to say He never did before.  The scripture “where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them,” (Matthew 18:20) is true, and the gathering doesn’t even have to be in a church.  But this visitation was noticeably different, and it was during a two-day Women’s Conference.  There were four main speakers, all powerful and anointed because they were the real deal, no show horses here prancing under the lights; they were separated unto God.  They had gone through the fire. 

One by one they gave their messages, messages sprinkled with confessions of shortcomings and frustrations, and sometimes even past sins, but all powerfully rooted in the Word.  I tell you we were rocked to the core.  These were women who knew God. Women who had seen His hand move mightily in their lives.  Women who had gone through fires hot enough to refine them like gold and force their dross, their impurities, to the surface so that the Master Goldsmith could skim them off.

For two days the presence of God fell so strongly it forced us all on our faces. I have never experienced anything quite like it.  It was wonderful and sweet, loving and healing.  And it made me weep over the superficiality of my own spiritual life.  And it brought home, once again, how the spiritual life, the genuine spiritual life is costly.  It does not come cheap or easy like some instant oatmeal you pop into a microwave.  But rather it is forged in fire by the hardships of life and one’s willingness to die to self and give all to God.

But who willingly jumps into a fire?  Fire burns.  It’s painful.  And it often doesn’t seem fair.  Is it fair when jobs are lost? Babies die? Children wander off the path and do drugs? When unreasonable and unlovable people move next door? Or when floods come and wash away homes? Perhaps not, but they are all fuel for stoking a fire that the Goldsmith can use to bring up our dross.   The question is, are we willing to let Him do it?  Are we willing to let Him use all these things, these hard, hurtful things, these things that are not fair and that He does not cause, for our good?

I had to think about that for awhile.  The whole fire thing scares me.  But when I remember those women, those Godly women who truly walk with the Lord, I see no other way. And while I can’t honestly say “I’m willing,” I can say to God, even as I see Him strike the match “I’m willing for You to make me willing.”  And that’s enough, for He’s able to take our puny declarations and work wonders.

Until next week,

Sylvia