The Refiner's Fire

🎶“If I’d have known then, what I know now, I would be still, and let You work it out…” 

It’s a line in a praise and worship song that is pretty popular right now. And, oh, the truth, that rings through it. When I was younger, the phrase “Hindsight is 20/20” was said by everybody older than me. My little brain filled with ADHD always thought it was something like “Heinz-sight is 20/20.” And I never quite understood what cooking sauce and eyesight had to do with each other. 

Anywho, yesterday on my walk with Jesus, I was thinking about the future. What I would say, years from now, about what I’m walking through right now. It’s a tender season, so the details will be shared at a later date, but it’s raw, it hurts, it’s a pruning season that is one of the hardest things I’ve walked through to date. I pictured standing in front of some women saying, “If I would’ve known God would ‘insert future miracle here,’ I wouldn’t have wasted my time ‘insert current struggles and worries here.’” “If I would’ve known God would ‘insert another future miracle here,’ I wouldn’t have wasted my time ‘insert other current struggles and worries here.’” And so on.  

Isaiah 43:1-5, 18-19

1-5

“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I gave Egypt for your ransom,

Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Since you were precious in My sight,

You have been honored,

And I have loved you;

Therefore I will give men for you,

And people for your life.

Fear not, for I am with you;

I will bring your descendants from the east,

And gather you from the west;’”

18-19

“Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.”

DO NOT remember the former things… Behold I will do a new thing! On this earth, we will walk through fire, we will pass through the waters, but the evidence of those struggles will not be drowning or scorched beings. He is the Refiner. The Refiner puts precious metals through the fire because they are PRECIOUS to Him. I know the fire hurts, I know the pain of having things that you love being burned off of you. But that pain is NOTHING compared to knowing the Refiner. He is with you. You can trust that you are in HIS hands. Nothing can touch you that isn’t for your good. So while you are being tried, while you are waiting, eagerly hoping for that promise, for that miracle, know this: He will sustain you. This is for your good. If you allow Him, He will bring good to this.