Refined by Fire
April 30, 2025

Scripture:
"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."
— 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)

Reflection:
Refining is not a comfortable process. It involves intense heat, the stripping away of impurities, and a period of waiting before something pure and valuable is revealed. That’s exactly how God works with us.

There are seasons when life feels like a furnace. Trials come. Relationships are tested. Dreams are delayed. Doubts creep in. But it’s in those moments that God is doing some of His deepest work. He is not punishing you—He is preparing you. Your faith is being made genuine, your purpose clearer, and your spirit stronger.

Just like a skilled Refiner knows exactly how long to hold gold in the fire, your Father knows how much heat your process needs. He’s not absent in your pain—He’s present in your refining.

Today’s Challenge:
Take a moment and reflect: What trial are you facing right now that God may be using to purify something in you? Don’t resist the fire—lean into it with faith. Let today be a turning point where you trust that your trial has purpose, and your refining has meaning.

Prayer:
Father, thank You for loving me enough to refine me. Even when the fire feels too hot or the process too long, help me remember that You are with me. Purify my heart, strengthen my faith, and use every challenge to make me more like Jesus. In His name, Amen.