“The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.” (Proverbs 17:3)
There are everyday trials that shape us, for good or bad, over the long haul; and then there are sore and fiery trials that make or break us in short order. The deciding factor in passing or failing a trial is whether we turn to or away from the Lord.
It can be difficult to turn to God when we are reeling in pain, or numb with shock. Turbulent emotions have the power to carry us out into a dark and lonely ocean. We are at our most vulnerable when life has somehow “hit us with a sledgehammer.”
If we are to be kept from the danger we are exposed to we must throw down an anchor in the presence of God. To try and process things without Him is not wise. In His light we see light. That light may have to break in bit by bit, but every little bit of light is going to help us heal.
Our life may suddenly be turned upside down, but if we turn to our God, He will once again bring order and harmony out of the chaos. He will give us beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning.
Above all else, He will restore our soul, and enable it to return to its rest. He will speak words that settle our heart and gives us rest and hope. As time passes, we will discover that we can not only survive the most shattering events of life, but we can rebound from them with a heart that has been made better than ever before.
The fiery furnace can destroy us. But if we let the Lord be with us in it, we will come forth like gold.