“God is not so much interested in how much work we do for Him, as He is in how much we resemble His Son.”
Is the suffering which God is allowing in your life accomplishing it’s intended purpose or not?
The apostle Peter uses the term “fiery trial” (I Peter 4:12) to describe a process that is like the refining of silver or gold in a furnace. The unrefined ore is placed in a crucible and melted in a furnace until the dross or impurities rise to the top. Then the impurities are skimmed off and thrown away. Now the smelter can see his reflection in the ore which tells him that the ore has been purified.
The metaphor describes what suffering is suppose to do in the Christian. The suffering is to make us aware of and bring us to repentance about the pride, arrogance, rebellion, self-sufficiency, hard-headedness, lack of faith, lack of compassion and other fleshly attributes that are in our heart and manifested in our personality. Prior to the suffering we may not see these sins but everyone else does.
As He removes this dross from His children’s life it makes for humility, purifies and increases our faith, and enriches our lives. People around us can clearly see more of Jesus manifested in our life.
If we respond wrong to suffering and hold onto the dross, we are on dangerous ground because God is committed to conforming His children to the image of His Beloved Son. We do not want the smelter to turn up the heat to get rid of that stubborn dross! Better to walk with a repentant heart and let Him purify our soul.
“Make sure that none of you suffers as a murder, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.” I Peter 4: 15-16
So, in closing, who do you and I look like?
God bless His Beloved Children,
Carl
Psalm 119: 38 