We are His silver!

 A few days ago I asked a friend to suggest a Bible study for me to start this week. She suggested As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur. As soon as I read her suggestion, I looked it up and since it was only a couple of dollars, I ordered it (and promptly forgot all about it). When Bryan and Dylan checked the mail this morning, they handed me a package. It was the book I had completely forgotten that I ordered. God ordained this, I just know it!

As I read lesson one in my new Bible study, I agreed that this is a wonderful study for me as I endure a time of suffering. The first lesson focused on the "fire" God uses to refine us. He refines us because we are His silver. One of my favorite passages that I studied this morning is 1 Peter 1: 6-8 which says, " So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy."

These verses are precious to me right now. They give me a reason for the trial I am enduring. God has allowed this time of suffering to prove that my faith is genuine. Wow! Not only does it prove to me that my faith is genuine, but my suffering also allows others to see that my faith in Jesus is real! God can use it as a testimony to others. 

I often catch myself looking at the little picture, focusing on myself and my little family. But really, I need to look at the big picture. God is able to use my life and my suffering to impact others on a scale that is way bigger than I can ever imagine. Just as verse 8 says, I may not see Him but I love Him and I trust Him and because of that, He fills me with joy. Its a joy that nonbelievers cannot understand but my suffering allows them to see faith at work. It allows them to see joy through tears, blessings in hard times, and hope in pain. 

Today I am thankful that God allowed this book to arrive at just the right time. I really needed to read these words of encouragement as I have continued to deal with the pain and wait on worker's comp to approve my tests. I am also thankful for this time of suffering. I know it sounds odd, but I'm serious. Anyone can say that they have faith in Christ but these types of trials prove to me that my faith is genuine. I am able to truly see what my faith is all about and learn things about God's character that I would otherwise, never get to see. The people around me are also able to see that this is real! Only God can give this type of peace and joy in such difficult circumstances. 

Although I don't like the pain or the waiting or the disappointments that we have to deal so often in life, I am thankful that God is able to use these things to refine me as His child and to make me more like Christ!

"What if the things we call disappointments are really God's appointments--events that He is using to make us more like Christ? He is the true refiner. We are His silver." ~Kay Arthur