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God’s Fire: Refining Gold Week 4
This past Thursday, a few of us from Faith enjoyed Sr. Citizens Day at Camp Pearl.
There were plenty of donuts and coffee, and we ate a Thanksgiving meal.
We also got to hear from Pastor Chuck Lusk, a church planter and recently retired Afghanistan veteran.
He experienced multiple tours in multiple war zones, was twice injured in combat, lost buddies within feet of him, and had daily life and death struggles.
He shared about his most terrifying, life-altering encounter with an Afghani family on Christmas Eve.
The one thing that truly stuck with me, among many things, was when Don Barrett asked him if he would do it all over again.
Knowing what he knows now, would he do it all over again.
Would he enlist.
His answer… ABSOLUTELY!
He went on to say that we are the net result of all our past experiences.
Everything we have experienced in the past, and how we have responded to them, make us who we are today.
But you and I, as followers of Christ, have the edge.
God is working everything in our lives for our ultimate good.
The Apostle Paul knew that.
He had a genuine confidence in God’s providence, whether things were easy or hard.
He said in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”
The patriarch Joseph acquired similar confidence through his experiences in Egypt.
He summarizes so well to his brothers his faith in God’s providence:
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?
And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.”
So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them (Gen.
50:19–21).
You will never know all the benefits of the power of suffering until you realize that a sovereign God is providentially ordering everything for your good and His glory.
Once you come to accept that God is in control of all things, you will be that much better prepared to deal with whatever hardships and sufferings He may choose to send your way—
“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom.
8:28).
We talked last week about our roots in Christ.
So, where are you?
How deep are your roots in Christ?
Do you have roots at all?
How much of God’s Word are you feeding on and how often?
This morning as we wind down this series on God’s Fire: Refining Gold, I have three things to share with you so you can come out the other end of your trials saying “ I shall come forth as gold.”
First thing is:
Know That Trials Are For Our Benefit
Here are ten great reasons for trials:
1. Trials Are Part of God’s Work
God never says, “Oops.”
God is in control of the trials.
God is not on his throne wringing his hands as he waits for the outcome of events.
Even if I can’t see how, I can be confident that God is working for his glory.
This helps me to stop worrying about how things are going to work out.
My heart is peaceful when I remember that God promises to work for his glory and our eternal good.
Pain is not without purpose.
2. Trials Put God’s Power On Display
When God allows me to step into a trial, he may be getting ready to work for his glory.
Historically, this is how God prefers to work.
Remember Gideon?
He started off with an army one-fifth the size of the Midianites—and then God made the odds even worse.
God uses trials to show that he alone deserves the credit.
Trials make it clear to the world that I am not in control.
Everyone can see that I don’t have the ability or strength to overcome the problem.
Therefore, when God works he gets all the glory, not me.
3. Trials Prepare Me For Service (Even Little Trials)
Here is the bad news.
When God works in a big way, it often involves one of his servants facing a big trial.
So we need to be ready for big storms and trials.
How can we be prepared?
Little trials.
I want God to trust me with his big tasks, but God doesn’t give us the big tasks without testing us in the little things.
Every trial God sends, even our daily frustrations are meant to test us and grow us stronger.
If I want God to use me for big things, I must pass the little tests.
If I don’t pass the little tests, why should I expect God to trust me with greater things?
Much like our physical body grows stronger through the trials of exercise, our soul grows stronger through the trials of life.
Without trials our body and soul become weak.
Seth Godin says, “Soldiers realize that it’s war that makes generals.”
4. Trials Sanctify Me
I don’t always handle trials well.
Maybe that’s one reason God called me to be a pastor.
To keep me humble.
When things don’t go as planned, traffic is endless, ministries struggle, paperwork abounds or health suffers; I realize just how impatient I am.
The trials don’t cause me to sin by being impatient, angry or complaining, they simply reveal what is inside.
If you cap a volcano the lava will blow out the side.
If you try to cap your anger by not getting upset at your kids, it will probably blow out in another area like yelling at your dog or getting mad at other drivers.
Trials reveal weaknesses.
They reveal our inner sin.
Only once I see my sin can I allow God to work inside of me.
The greatest battle is the one that is inside of me.
Because of this, God’s trials have been his greatest instrument of growth in my life.
5. Trials Make Me Depend On God
God uses trials to turn my dependence fully on him.
He wants me to cling to him and find peace in him alone.
The greatest battle that is waged each day for the glory of God is not the one around me, it is the one in me.
My sinful heart doesn’t want to relinquish control.
Trials are God’s tool to break my dependence on self so that I will trust in him alone.
Trials and weaknesses keep me from embezzling God’s glory.
They make it clear that God alone deserves the recognition and honor.
6. Trials Show Others That God is Dependable
As I go through trials, others are watching.
They are watching to see if I respond in faith.
Having peace in the midst of comfort is normal.
Having peace in the midst of trials is not.
Trials give me an opportunity to speak about the hope that I have.
If I complain or have a bad attitude when facing trials, I forfeit my opportunity to speak of the greatness God!
God entrusts us with trials so that we can be a light.
Let’s not waste these opportunities.
7. Trials Show Us and Others That God is Infinitely Valuable
As I go through trials or loss with peace and joy, others are watching.
They are watching to see if I respond in joy.
When I have joy in the midst of loss, it shows the world that Jesus is better.
Unfortunately, joy in the midst of loss is not my default setting.
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