The furnace of affliction.
Inspired by Isa. 48:10.
Someone wrote, “for Christians, this current earth is our hell and for those who do not know Christ as Lord and savior, this is their heaven.” So very true. My last few years have been spent in the furnace of affliction. Constant struggle and degrees of defeat in all aspects of life; family, friends, vocation, faith and personal health. No rest, no comfort or peace inside this life of trouble and toil. The pressure and heat of all the issues that demand my attention and strength is wearing me thin. I feel my grace, my joy and even my hopeful expectations seep away.
What does a person become in the furnace of affliction? Full of strength, grace and patience or frustrated, and finally consumed by hopelessness? It depends on the person I have figured. God is God no matter our situations. We can choose to hold tight to Him and by doing so gain strength, patience and greater insight or we can go it on our own strength and understanding. Beware, the Bible says not to lean on our own understanding. God has greater motives and actions beyond our understanding and to trust in our own strength of thoughts might do us in. Like leaning on a sprained ankle.
My furnace of affliction is a small one, but still a place of tough lessons and great patience. Will I continue to hold on and trust or let go and go my own way? It is either burn baby burn on let me out, I quit. One who continues must go through the furnace to become the person they are meant to be, there is no side stepping. You stay in as long as the Lord God sees any humanness that hinders His work in and through you. Something of use comes from the furnace; sturdy and useful. The furnace has produced many great people throughout humanity and many more will come and go through the furnace. Yet I do feel that less and less people are putting themselves in the place for God’s refining seasons. Most it seems want to stay just out of reach of God’s refining process. I understand, sometimes I think that I should find a place that would require less of God’s uncomfortable demands placed on me. Like moving a little further away from a roaring fire because the heat becomes too much to bear. Yet the cost is moving further away from God’s presence and protection. What would you do?
Bring on the heat and let’s be done with this. I look forward to a stronger, wiser and more graceful person to emerge from this furnace of affliction and to become something of use in a hurt and deceived world. I have learned how desperately we need people who have gone through the furnace and come out refined as silver. Precious followers of Christ who are full of strength, grace, humility and joy. We need inspired, fortified Christians, those who have weathered great storms and can be truth and beauty to those who live as broken pieces of God’s glory. I imagine us as dirty and broken windows on an otherwise perfect house of God. We need whole Christians, full of joy, imagination and a peace that this world can not shake. Only those who travel through and in God’s strength come out of the furnace of affliction can be these kinds of Christians. I know of some who have lived hellish lives for heavenly purposes.
Truth and beauty inspire me to continue on, I can not find these two elements outside of God. I chose to surrender this life and let it be a usable sacrifice for King and kingdom. Everyday we have the opportunity to learn of Him and be with Him even on earth. His mercies are new every morning and heaven is one day closer. What we must struggle with and bear now will, I believe, be a part of the treasure that awaits us in heaven.
Whatever hell and affliction we face now will be only stories of adventure and intrigue in heaven, but all will end with a happily ever after for those who triumphed through the furnace of affliction.
From one who thinks and cares. m.
