Refinement

Day 66: Refinement leads to beauty

Proverbs 17:3

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts.”

         Have you ever watched someone use a furnace to melt metal? It is an incredible process in which intense heat is applied to refine metal. Throughout the process things are added to the metal and separate out the bad parts (dross), eventually leading to the purified metal. Upon pouring the liquid metal out into a mold it takes the shape of the vessel or mold it is meant to resemble. There are quite a few scriptures related to this process of refinement for us as humans. It is important for us to understand what refinement is defined as, as we seek to understand God’s Word. Refinement is a process in which small impurities are removed from an object, the improvement or clarification of something by making small changes, an elegance in behavior or manner, and finally a sophisticated or superior good taste.

         Over the course of my life, I have been refined into what I am today; so have you. We are a product of everything that we have been tested and refined to become. Each new experience has been intricately designed to test our response to the Lord. Jesus wants to know how we are going to react to different situations in life.

         As a schoolteacher, we give an enormous number of tests to our students. I would go as far to say we test more than we teach in our modern era of education; however, there is a good reason we spend the time testing our students. We are looking for evidence of learning. Tests reveal evidence of what has taken place. Jesus uses this world to test us. He is looking for evidence of who we are in Him.

         It is important for us to begin the process of understanding God’s heart for us. He is not trying to sit on high and strike us down, He simply is not like that, but He is looking to refine who we are in Him. This means He wants to remove the impurities within us, help us understand by providing clarity through His word, develop an elegance to how we would treat others, and teach us what is good in this world to consume. The Lord wants to refine us for His purposes. Over the next couple days, we will be looking at the process of refinement throughout scripture and taking a deep dive in understanding God’s Word about refinement. It is not for the faint of heart, but at the same time it is completely worth the refinement!

Dear Refining Father,

         Thank You for everything that You are doing in my life. I have been so incredibly blessed, and my life is full of beauty. I am surrounded by Your grace, and it is sufficient for me. At the same time, I know that You are refining me to make me into something better. Lord, I do not feel like I am enough. Every day I get up and I put in my best effort, yet I never measure up which is why I am constantly striving to get ahead in my life. Lord, as I continue to move forward and grow in my knowledge of who You are, I know You are testing me. I know You are seeking to remove this world and sin nature from my heart. I submit to that process with humble expectation that You would perfect my heart, my core belief, and transform my mind to see Your beauty in this world. I want to be transformed and understand who You are to be able to be used in the most effective way to execute Your will. Thank You Jesus for refining me. In Jesus Christ name I pray, Amen. 

Day 66: Refinement vs Brokenness

         It is important to distinguish the difference between refinement and brokenness. Refinement is a process that is different than brokenness in many ways, both are a part of the transformational process of renewing one’s mind. Refinement is the active process in which God works to change aspects of who we are throughout our lives, where as brokenness is the state of being we are in during moments of refinement. Without God breaking us down, we cannot become refined; without both refinement and brokenness present in our lives, we cease to grow as believers.

Consider these scriptures about refinement:

Proverbs 17:3: "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts."

Malachi 3:3: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord."

1 Peter 1:6-7: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Job 23:10: "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out as gold."

  Psalm 66:10: "For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried."

Whereas these scriptures talk more about brokenness:

Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 51:17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Psalm 147:3: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Isaiah 57:15: "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"

2 Corinthians 12:9: He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Matthew 5:3-4: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

We will explore these concepts in the upcoming days ahead but be warned that God’s scripture is not comfortable to engage with in our lives. It is meant to transform us through refinement, and it is possible that this may lead you to some breakdowns you did not know you needed in your life.

Dear Refining Father,

         Thank You so much for the difference between these two concepts, for while they look and feel similar, there is significant differences between the two of them. I know Lord that sometimes I am in a great place in my life, yet, You are still refining my heart to know You better. I desire to know You better than anything else in my life. You are all I need to sustain me. Thank You for the brokenness I can clearly identify in my life, now teach me how You have been actively refining me throughout my life and help me understand the power of submitting to Your furnace, for You will walk with me through it all. In Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Day 67: Royal Priesthood

Malachi 3:3

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord."

         We know that the sons of Levi were Levi’s descendants, a tribe of priest that had the most direct access to God throughout the Old Testament up until God gave the Israelites a king. This priesthood was how the Lord communicated His desires to His people. So, the refinement process once went through men of a chosen background or inheritance, until the day that Christ came and died for us.

         As you begin the process of understanding refinement, not necessarily in a broken state, you can begin the work of understanding God’s true calling in your life to see the beauty that surrounds you daily. Upon accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you enter the “Royal Priesthood” following Jesus’ Words. Listen to the apostle Peter’s command regarding this: “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” This comes from 1 Peter 2:9, and the whole chapter points out that we are now different from this world. So be different.

         If we are to be different from this world, we will be refined differently too. This is a natural progression of Jesus’ original development of the sons of Levi in the Old Testament. There is significant purpose found for us in understanding the calling God has placed upon all our lives. We are slowly being refined when we allow the depth of scriptures to penetrate deep within our lives, removing impurities just like the furnace would metal. We have been given direct access to God, through Jesus’ resurrecting work from the Cross. Our refinement process began the day we accepted Him.

         We bring offerings of righteousness to the Lord by offering ourselves up as living sacrifices, this is a part of the process we go through in our lives. Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT continue to reinforce this shifting in our hearts, “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”

         We are a royal priesthood being refined by Jesus.

Dear Purifying Father,

         I am thankful for You! You have made me into a royal priesthood that matters in Your Kingdom. Lord, as I begin the refinement process with You, I can already see from the scriptures today that You have, are, and always will be the same. You come with a steadfast hand that is meant to guide us to Your beauty Lord. I will trust in Your Holy work in my life. I know that I am to offer myself up as a living sacrifice, so that others may see Your love for them through my trust in You Jesus. Thank You for purifying my heart and mind through the transformational process being played out in my life as I learn to see You in the 359˚ of beauty. Thank you, Jesus, Amen. 

Day 68: Rejoice through the trials

1 Peter 1:6-7

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

         Understanding this verse really helps you understand the refinement process that we face in our lives. Peter is telling us to rejoice in the fact that we are in a temporary trial because it will test the genuineness of our faith. Now our faith is from God Himself, and the trials we face is where our beliefs are tested. Do we trust God to provide the way through or out of the trial? This process is the “testing” while we are in a trial. These tests are generally short lived and can vary widely due to our own sin nature, how sin works through others in this world, or the enemy that is conspiring against us. Regardless of the trial we encounter we are slowly refined through the little things we face in this life.

         Examples of these refinements are important for us to consider. These refinements come through simple choices we can make that help us begin to see life differently. For men and women alike, this would be the trial of visual stimulation through seductive imagery. We must learn how to advert our eyes and choose not to dwell on those images. This is a testing of our faith; do we have our eyes fixed on Jesus?

         Another example is something many of us struggle with in our American Christian cultural experiences. We are always gathered around food. This often leads to overconsumption and gluttony. It is so subtle that it does not seem like much, but when is the last time you allowed yourself to fast and pray, because you can NOT miss a meal? Many of us have bought into a myth that is not biblically based.

         A final example of a trial would be how we allow our tongues to deceive us. Many of us face an onslaught of little lies we allow ourselves to believe. When we look in the mirror all we see is the flaws, or that little wrinkle. When we are talking about others, we fall into the temptation to talk about the person and why they did it versus our roles and how it made us feel. Litte trials like this vary widely and we must learn to see them when we are facing them.

         Beauty becomes apparent within the outcomes of the refinement process of our faith. The genuineness of our faith is considered more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire. Gold itself is perishable. Our faith is not perishable- it is eternal!!! The eternal faith refined will result in praise and glory and honor at the time when Jesus returns for us. Therefore, we can rejoice in these little trials and see the Glory of God, choose to honor Him, and praise Him for the blessing bestowed upon us.

Dear Refining Father,

         Thank You for putting me through various trials of all kinds. Help me understand and see your refinement process as something that is meant for my good, not to hinder me. Teach me how to rejoice in the trials and see You at work in my life every single day. Jesus, You are my delight and I will rejoice in the work You have set in my heart. Use this refinement process to show others how You choose to work in our lives, so that they may grow to understand and know You. Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us so well and promising us eternity through the refinement of our faith over time. In Jesus Christ name I pray, Amen.

Day 69: Refinement through Tribulation

Acts 14:22

“Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.””

         Okay, I know what you're thinking, what is the difference between a trial and a tribulation? That's a great question, let us take a moment and work to define both of those concepts. Trials are general test designed to grow our faith that does not last very long, whereas tribulations are something that lasts a significantly longer amount of time (long suffering), and/or has a general level of persecution contained within it. Most people do not try to distinguish between the two different forms of refinement because they are often used interchangeably used within various bible translations. However, it matters more than one would initially think regarding the refinement process.

         Tribulation has a profound and significant influence over our refinement as believers. When we are facing tribulation, we are faced with prolonged exposure to a source of pressure and/or heat. Just like in a forge, once metal is melted down, it can then be reshaped through a prolonged process of reheating, hammering, reheating, re-shaping, reheating, hardened, tempered, eventually honed, and/or polished. It is a long process of refinement to establish something useful within the tool being forged. The process God uses through tribulation is similar in nature. We go through it in our lives during periods of time where we are faced with tribulation.

         I have faced several periods of tribulation in my life. I once worked for several years for a person that I did not politically or spiritually align with, and it was a very challenging period as there was significantly much more faced than the simplicity of a little trial. Ultimately, due to those beliefs, I was forced to leave a place that I loved very dearly during a period of my life where change was the hardest to face because I needed stability. I was not looked favorably upon for taking care of my wife during a time where I was taking her to her oncology appointments; therefore, it became apparent that God was telling me to move on in my life. It made an already difficult situation significantly more difficult as I began looking for a job with a dying wife.

         Think about it, sitting in a job interview for a teaching position, all while knowing you have no idea what the next few months hold, trying to convince a new prospective employer to hire you. The refinement through that tribulation was extended pressure and heat being applied as I stepped out in faith and trusted the Lord to provide. This was at a time when I was still wrestling with my internal conflict of avoiding emotional anguish and did not realize it yet. My mind was a literal war zone. A battlefield of refinement, as I worked to take up my cross - dying to myself for God, all while trying to control and manipulate the situations I found myself by trying to maintain control of where the hammer hit next.

         The tribulations we face are long lasting periods of refinement that develop our abilities to withstand the onslaught of life that is often faced. Will we continue to choose God when the tribulation we are facing is relentless? We must be strengthened every day by the encouragement of those around us! We must remind each other that it is through these periods of time we are truly refined into better versions of ourselves and that God will be pleased with us.

Dear Refining Father,

         Thank You for today. Thank You for the refinement process of tribulation. I would simply not be who I am without You guiding me through all the little trials in my life, but more so Lord, the tribulations that You have carried me through that have profoundly grown me in ways I never thought possible. You have been there the whole time encouraging me to grow and be refined through long periods of suffering, enduring, and persevering in my life. Thank You for Your steadfast nature and the continual process of refinement through tribulations. Please continue to guide my heart as you see fit. In Jesus power and authority, amen.

Day 70: Unlearning to relearn…

Psalm 66:8-15

Bless our God, you peoples, And sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life, And does not allow our feet to slip. For You have put us to the test, God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon us. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water. Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings; I shall pay You my vows, Which my lips uttered And my mouth spoke when I was in distress. I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals, With the smoke of rams; I shall make an offering of bulls with male goats. Selah

         Biblical refinement can take significant time. It is a process of learning, re-learning, un-learning, and re-learning all over again. In our culture today, we do not want things to take time. We can order something from Amazon or through DoorDash and it will be at a door within a few short minutes. We no longer must wait for what we want, which is not good for our spiritual development. We have to unlearn the ways of our culture to relearn the ways that God works.

         Some of the most patient people I have met are the most spiritually disciplined people. They understand the value in waiting patiently upon the Lord. The refinement process of precious metals is a long-drawn-out process that takes significant time. It is about drawing out the impurities over the course of time making it as close to one hundred percent as possible. This scripture is talking about the process by which God blesses us and keeps us in the blessings of life. Then to purify us, He brings us into the net and lays burdens upon us. He causes others to rise above us and drives us through the trials and tribulations of our lives to strip away all that we know or think we know.

         When the Lord refines us, it is for our good. The process is difficult. This is how we can rest in the knowledge that everyone’s hard is hard for them. It is different for each of us because of how the Lord cares for all of us in our own unique ways. The refinement process takes time. It is not a quick fix situation in our lives. This is where other scriptures can help us process and praise what is going on in our lives, and it should drive us into deeper living sacrifices as we walk through this world, seeking God’s Kingdom and not our own. Take for instance Psalm 37:7-9 and how it tells us to rest in the refinement of the Lord without saying refinement, yet there is a promise for the refinement process as we wait patiently for Jesus.  

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way, Because of the person who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and abandon wrath; Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be eliminated, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.”

Dear Patient Father,

         Thank You for granting me patience when I am walking through the refinement process. Lord, I want so much for things to happen quickly. I have gotten acquainted with getting things so quickly that I often fail to remember that You are a slow consistent force in my life that has perfect timing. I do not have to worry about what my life may contain or the refinement process because You are always faithful and true. Lord, I need to remember to be where my feet are and understand that the process of gain comes from Your steadfast resolve in my life to refine me into a more perfect version of myself for Your beauty to be revealed. Lord, I trust You in today’s refinement. Reveal Your beauty in explicit detail that would only serve to help refine me more as it removes what is impure in my life. Thank You Jesus for You are wise beyond my comprehension. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.