Refine Me

One week before I pack up the Max and head back to the wonderful city of Norman. I cannot believe that the summer has flown by... It seems like just yesterday I was packing up to come home. As I was driving around visiting a few friends, "Desert Song" by Hillsong United came through my speakers. That song represents so many great lessons. The second verse is powerful:

"And this is my prayer in the fire; in weakness, or trial or pain. There is a faith proved of more worth than Gold, so refine me, Lord, through the flame."

Boom. His unfailing love never leaves us nor forsakes us. I think that is a hard principle to grasp, because we think that once we find Jesus we will never experience hardship again. Sometimes we wonder, "Well, God, I'm doing what you have called me to do... So why is all of this happening?" or "I'm doing this for your glory, so why would you stop me from gaining the desires of my heart?" or "Why did this disease strike my family when we have made You the king of our lives?"

It's okay that we ask all of those questions because God knows our hearts, and He knows that we are a hurting people who don't understand what exactly He is doing... but the story doesnt end there. When we experience weakness, or trial or pain, God has abundant opportunity to refine us. We would never grow if we we didn't have to. We aren't a people who like change- We like things to stay the same, we like to be comfortable, we like to be safe.

We live in a dark world, and we weren't created to conform to the patterns of it. There is something significant about living for a God who is bigger than any weakness or trial or pain. We experience those things because we live in a dark place, but we aren't confined to it. We have choices that lie before us- we get to pick if we are stuck. We can't get ourselves out of the junk that we find ourselves in, but we were created by a God who can, and does.

I can't help but wonder how different my attitude and outlook on life would be if I was constantly viewing my life by the words of Verse 2. What if I took every single weakness, and expected God to refine me through that flame. What if we all did? How much more would we grow, give and invest? Our entire way of life would change. It would be a ripple effect, where our hearts are changed because we trust that God knows what He is doing; therefore, we would be sensitive to what He wants us to do for the people around us. How many more people would be moved by the Love of Christ, rather than be burnt by the rules of religion? How many street corners would be free of people screaming through megaphones about the wrath of God, and how many less would go homeless and hungry? I believe a consuming fire would be lit inside of us.

Verse 3:
"And this is my prayer in the battle, when triumph is still on it's way. I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ, so firm on his promise I'll stand."

He promises that he has wonderful and prosperous plans for our lives, yet we aren't convinced. He promises that we are victorious in Christ Jesus and that we have already won the battle because of the cross, yet we can't see the fruit, so instead we see that we have failed. That's so wrong.

As women, I think we find our selves more and more insecure with each generation. We try to fill that void with the uproar of "Women's Rights" and outrageous feminists. Yet, we aren't comfortable in our own skin. We buy billions of dollars worth of magazines and make-up to make ourselves feel better about our features and our body types, which in fact usually makes us feel worse. We alter our bodies to fit what is "beautiful" in the eyes of our culture.

Psalm 139 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made... your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Song of Solomon 4:7 says "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you."

Romans 8:17 says, "And since we are His children, we are His heirs; in fact, co-heirs with Christ..."

We are victorious, and we are conquerors. Nothing that satan has up his sleave could ever surprise God, or beat Him. He already won. It is time we stand on His promises, knowing that no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17)

We will certainly face hardship. We will fight emotional, physical and mental battles... Satan will do everything in his power to defeat us, but with Jesus we are unstoppable.

Today is a new day; it has never happened before. It might not be easy, but it's worth it. Acknowledge God's promises, and stand firm on them. He gave us His word for a reason; it holds the key to unlock the chains of this world. Run the race. Persevere. Let the Lord refine you through the flames of this life- In Him, You are victorious.