Shaped By Trials – Strengthened in Faith
Hardship is often part of shaping, strengthening, refining, and preparing. When I look back at the trials and difficulties I have faced in my own life, I can honestly say that only once, did I turn away from God, and that wasn’t even in my darkest trial. I have had friends and acquaintances tell me I am strong to turn to God during some of the more difficult challenges I have faced. I find that odd, because it is in those seasons of darkness that I need Him the most. It frightens me to think where I’d be, or if I would have even survived some of the trials in my life, had it not been for God’s mercy and presence. Even in the short time I turned my faith away from God, I don’t believe I was completely detached from Him. I think I was just lost and walking in a wilderness of sorts. And, this got me thinking about those things in life that need refining … besides me, or you, or every human on earth.
I’ve come to think of every trial, mental and physical painful experiences, as God molding and refining me into a stronger and more beautiful woman of faith, and that these crosses I bear in life are God at work in my life. I guarantee that if you go through life with no trials, no pain, no loss, and no dreaded experience, then you haven’t met God. Knowing God is not our ticket to comfort and prosperity. We must face the fire, the pressure, the heat, the irritation, the loss, and the refinement, to be what God intended us to be.
Think of it in terms of something we see:
- Gold is refined by fire
God uses trials to purify what is precious in you.
Iron is forged in fire
Strength is not formed in comfort.
Steel is tempered by heat
Pressure and testing can make a person stronger and more durable.
Diamonds form under pressure
Something beautiful and valuable can come from great difficulty.
Clay must be shaped and fired to become useful and strong
The Potter’s hands and the furnace both have a purpose.
A pearl is formed through irritation
Something lovely can come from what once caused pain.
A seed must be buried before it can grow
Seasons that look like loss may actually be the beginning of new life.
Grapes are crushed to make wine
Brokenness can produce something deep, rich, and valuable.
Olives are pressed to release oil
Pressure can draw out what God has placed within you.
A tree grows stronger by enduring wind
Resistance can deepen roots.
Grapes are crushed to make wine
Brokenness can produce something deep, rich, and valuable.
A butterfly struggles out of the cocoon to gain strength for flight
Some struggles are necessary for becoming what you were meant to be.
Stone is chiseled to become a sculpture
God sometimes removes what does not belong to reveal what does.
Here are a few other ways to process the trials in your life and to better understand God’s purpose:
God refines, not ruins.
The fire is not to destroy you, but to purify you.
Pressure is often the birthplace of strength.
What feels like breaking may be God’s shaping.
God uses heat to forge strength and beauty.
The process is painful, but the purpose is precious.
You are being refined, not rejected.
What God allows, He also uses.
The furnace is part of the forming.
Strength is often born in seasons of surrender.
God is molding you in the fire, not leaving you there.
The pressure is producing something eternal in you.
Read the Good Book for understanding these thoughts:
- Refined like gold — Malachi 3:3, 1 Peter 1:6–7
- Potter and clay — Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:1–6
- Pruning for greater fruit — John 15:2
- Strength through trials — James 1:2–4, Romans 5:3–5
Sometimes it helps to envision how you might be in refinement with God to get you through it.
Another thought on this subject … Let’s say we pray for patience … “Lord, give me more patience.” Most people would expect to face a situation of frustration with calm and, well, patience. LOL. Nope. If you ask for patience, God will surely put you smack in the middle of a situation that calls for you to be patient. He wants YOU to do the work and understand the gift that comes from discernment and refinement. He’ll give you an opportunity to be patient … it is up to you to follow through. Same with strength … You ask God for strength in a certain situation. If you have faith that God will give you that strength in your time of need, He will be there for you.
Trust in God with your whole being … Love Him with your whole heart … Seek Him in every moment … See Him in nature and the joyful moments of your life.
Life has so much goodness and possibility, even in the darkest moments that we face. Thank God for those difficult moments. Find God in the pain, and you will find peace.
