“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold”  Job 23:10.

Fire and gold are inseparable.  In order to be refined, it must go through processes and the refiners fire.  So it is with us in our walk with God, in order to come forth as gold, we must go through God’s refiners fire.  Our faith is tested daily through various trials and temptations,  but our god is faithful and will never allow us to go through more than we can withstand.  In order for god to get us to the gold status, there are steps and processes but all of them are necessary in order to produce the end product.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings;  that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy“   (1 Peter 4:12-13).

I want to remind you that gold is tried by fire!  So don’t think that it is strange because you are encountering many different trials and afflictions!  Begin to count it all joy for the fiery trials – for God is in the fire with you and He is a consuming fire!  Therefore, the fire will not destroy or overtake you!  Neither will you smell of fire nor smoke when you come forth. So please be patient and still and allow God to do His work.  For in us, He is producing a much greater work for a much greater purpose than we can ever know!

“… many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all”   Psalms 34:19.

Our life can get extremely heated with trials of afflictions, hurt, pain, discouragement, heartache, and heart breaks.  Remember how Job’s life crashed and crumbled in a moments time?  But God already knew what would come, and thereby He blessed and delivered Job from all of his afflictions! So trust in the Lord and his work!  He knows what he is doing!  Endure the FIRE and the trials so that God can transform you to a vessel of GOLD.  For surely when He is done, you shall come forth as pure gold!

“… wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”   1 Peter 1:6-7.

– by Geraldine Coleman

Geraldine Coleman:  Is a teacher and educator and ministers to prisoners at a prison facility where she is an instructor.