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
Sometimes getting better (stronger, healthier, more refined) is a painful process. Think about gardening. According to one horticultural site, “pruning is the removal or reduction of certain plant parts that are not required, that are no longer effective, or that are of no use to the plant. It is done to supply additional energy for the development of flowers, fruits, and limbs that remain on the plant.” Then, there’s gold. Refining gold with fire is an ancient method and one still preferred today. Molten gold is stirred and skimmed to remove the impurities that rise up to the top.
Of course, when it comes to our physical bodies, refinement can come similarly to our two examples above: sometimes a cutting away is needed (think of surgery to remove a cancerous tumor), and other times it’s a burning (cauterization) that destroys threatening growths and heals damaged tissue.
So, friends, why would we think it any different for our spiritual betterment, healing, refinement?
When we’re saved, accepting the work of Jesus to pay the price for our sins, we turn away from our previous life. We become a new creation and, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we’re to walk out the fruit of righteousness (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). But, although salvation is a single, once-and-for-all decision and immediate inward transformation, our outward transformation is not so immediate. In fact, the battle between our old, sinful self and our new self is hard-fought until we meet Jesus face to face (Romans 7:15-20). But the Lord, our soul-Gardener, does not leave us to our own devices in this endeavor.
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2).” This process of spiritual pruning, called sanctification, requires us to step through trials, storms, and plenty of pain. This proverbial fire and cutting is meant to help us abandon our self-reliance and surrender control to the Lord. When we embrace this fiery process, the dross of our life can be scooped away, leaving us looking (and acting) more and more like Jesus. The damaging, useless, even life-threatening parts are removed to strengthen us, grow us, and make us more beautiful. It is for our good and His glory.
But that’s our purpose as Christians, isn’t it? Glorifying God with our life. I don’t know about you, but I’m incredibly grateful for the refining pain of the process.
Lord, may I daily surrender my life to You, allowing You to refine me for my good and Your glory.
encouraged by grace 