Have you ever thought how much more can I take? How can you hang onto hope when the heat of the trial you’re going through has been turned up another notch? The Women of Faith resources will soothe your soul as you begin to see how God uses the trials in your life to change your character, purify your heart, and beautifully transform turbulent times of suffering into a showcase of His faithfulness.
Facing the agony of the cross, Jesus was in great physical, mental and spiritual distress. He even came to the point where He questioned the Father three times; asking if there might be another way to redeem us, but there was none. Then, Jesus faced the last, most painful trip to the crucible.
The crucible of God’s refining fire, not out of weakness and defeat but out of strength and faith. Faith in the Father who loved Him. Jesus was able to trust the Father’s trial because He trusted the Father’s heart. His heart of love and compassion. He trusted the Father’s wisdom and understanding You too can trust the Father’s heart of love and compassion. You can trust His wisdom and understanding. You can stand firm in the truth of Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Purification is a painstaking process. The choicest silver or gold—like the choicest character—undergoes the Refiner’s fire numerous times to attain the highest degree of purity possible. When silversmiths or goldsmiths finally see a perfectly clear image of themselves in the crucible, they know purification has been achieved.
In 1874, Emil Wohlwill invented a refining process for gold that today produces the purest precious metal possible—99.999%. When God finishes refining His people, there will not be even a speck of imperfection. The uncompromising goal—100%—will be attained to radiate the perfection of Christ Himself.
Facing the agony of the cross, Jesus was in great physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual distress, to the point of asking the Father three times whether there might be another way to redeem us—and there was none. He faced the last and most painful trip to the crucible of God’s refining fire, not out of weakness and defeat but out of strength and faith in His Father who loved Him. Jesus was able to trust the Father’s trial because He trusted the Father’s heart of love and compassion, wisdom and understanding. And you can face the trials He has designed for you because He has the same love for you that He has for Jesus.
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:22–23
