Rubies and Refinement
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. –1 Peter 1:6,7
This week’s blog comes complete with a visual aid. Before you read on, take a minute to check out this video:
http://tv.yahoo.com/video/search-rare-sunset-rubies-040000104.html
How much is this process like our journey with God? A few thoughts:
These rocks appeared to be worthless…to the untrained eye. But the expert eye knows hidden underneath the dust are rare and beautiful rubies that, when put through intense fire, lose their impurities and become beautiful gems that the light can shine through. Because of the fire God uses to refine us, we become more beautiful and pure so that His light shines through us.
The buyer was willing to pay a hefty price for these rocks because he knew what they would become once they were refined, and how much more they would be worth once they were purified. God paid the ultimate price for us, because He knew our true value, even when we were stained with sin. He saw what we would become once we were cleansed by Jesus’ blood, and how He would be able to use us in His Kingdom to reflect His love.
Intense refining fire is the only way these rocks could become rubies. There is no other easier or gentler way to make it happen. Unfortunately, the only way for God to work out our impurities (selfishness, immaturity, lack of faith, fear, unbelief, etc.), is to test us and allow us to go through some fiery trials. He does this not to punish us, but to prepare us for the next level to which He is leading us. He knows what has to go in order for us to be ready to take on whatever is coming. It’s the only way, but He assures us He will be the one guiding us through it and giving us the strength to endure. He also promises us our reward for enduring will be great!
If you are going through testing and trials right now, know that God is right beside you in the furnace, guiding you and offering His strength to get through it. He is there to comfort you in your hurting and encourage you to keep going even when you’re exhausted. He will not waste your hurt! You will not have endured for nothing; on the contrary, your reward will be very great!