Things We Lost in the Fire
God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having--viz., life with Himself. It is a question of loosening the bonds that hinder that life.
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Shortly after my husband and I relocated to another country, we went through a difficult period. We were praying for our needs, and it seemed as if God were silent. All along, God was trying to get our attention. When we finally took our eyes off what we were trusting God for and placed them on Him, He opened our eyes to see that yes, He could change our situation in a flash, but He was after our hearts. He wanted a deeper relationship with us. And this could only happen if we got rid of the things holding us back from experiencing the abundant spiritual life that was ours in Christ Jesus. So, during this period, we started our day by reading the Word and a daily devotional by Oswald Chambers called ”My Utmost for His Highest.” In the evening, we read a book by Corrie ten Boom called “He Cares For You.” God used these two saints, “Uncle Ozzie” and “Aunt Corrie” as we fondly called them, to draw us closer to Him. Spending more time in the Word and prayer became of utmost importance. As we went through this season of refining in His fire, God revealed to us the habits that we had formed and the constraints that we had placed on our spiritual life. God used this refining fire to help us get rid of the extraneous junk hindering us in our walk with Him. The junk that prevented us from living a life wholly dependent upon Him. Wholly devoted to Him.
The refining fire is never easy. But when we allow God to have His way in the fire and we open our hearts and yield to Him, we will come to know Him in a deeper way. We will desire to stay in the vine, the true vine, Jesus Christ and bear fruit. Fruit for His kingdom. Jesus says in John 15:4-5,
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and invites us to abide in Him. Just as the branches are connected to the vine, we are to stay connected to Him. We stay connected to the vine when we take time to read and study His Word. When we take time to seek the Lord, bring our petitions before Him and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our decision-making. Being connected to the vine allows us to receive the spiritual sustenance we need. This helps us build our trust and hope in Jesus Christ.
In the previous chapter, John 14, Jesus says in verse 27,
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
As we abide in Him in the refining fire, an exchange takes place. We exchange our worry, fear, anxiety and hopelessness for His peace that surpasses all understanding, His hope that does not disappoint and His faith that believes we can do all things through Christ Jesus.
I am so grateful to the Lord for the things that we lost in His refining fire. What we lost cannot compare to what we gained.
Reflection:
Will you yield to God so that He can have His way in your life in the refiner’s fire?
Will you allow God to lead you into a deeper relationship with Him?
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for using your refining fire to remove the things that are hindering me from abiding in you. Help me yield to you. Reveal to me the things I need to allow you to burn in the fire. Lord, I submit my worry, anxiety and fear to you. Thank you, Lord, for your peace, hope and Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
