{God's Refining Fire}

I had a beautiful moment of conviction tonight---now we don't often think of conviction as beautiful, but perhaps we should. I'll try to be brief---for two reasons: 1. I don't have time to write a blog post tonight and B. I know you don't have time to read a long, rambling post!

SOOOOO, after dinner tonight, Joshua and I were sitting at the table and he was explaining a real frustration he has at recess at school. I say "he has" because it's an ongoing thing---don't worry---no one is bullying him, or leaving him out---what it actually boils down to is he doesn't get his way and it's frustrating. As he sat and rambled on and on (btw, I have NO idea where THAT comes from), I began to realize---"cool, I see a lovely life lesson I can pass along to my boy here"---yeah, that should have been a sign to me that a "lovely life lesson" may be coming my way as well.

We began to play a game he had made up (don't you love it when kids make up a game?)....anyway, the game time allowed me to share my day with him. I had had a frustrating day as well. It wasn't an awful day---just one that really frustrated me and caused me a lot of stress and sadness. The "problem" was really no big deal and you would think that with some of the other issues I have in my life I may be able to just "let go" of the little things---yeah, not so much.

I was struck when listening to Josh that these frustrations in his life were just opportunities to be refined. I shared with him about how gold and other precious metals are refined and that it's the HEAT that takes away the impurities and makes the metal more precious---more valuable---the heat makes that metal into what it was created to be.

As I sat there feeling great about my life lesson so beautifully spoken to my son---I was nailed with my own conviction of sin. Had I dealt this way with my own day? Had I accepted this irritation as God's beautiful refining in my life? Years ago---I mean YEARS ago when I sang more than just children's songs in music class, I sang the beautiful Steve Green song, "The Refiner's Fire". I was playing this mindless game with Joshua and these words began flooding back to my soul--bringing with them conviction and peace. I was truly so upset by my day and one small event that happened that I was letting it consume me. One of the lines in the song is, "He is consuming my soul, refining me, making me whole". I sat there thinking---"hmmmm, if this small thing has consumed me, (and it had) then I can't be "being" consumed by Christ---and his refining fire." Right there I had to confess my own sinfulness----I had to ask this holy God, who sent his son to DIE FOR ME, to forgive my petty, selfishness. Oh, how he must do the eye roll about me sometimes! (OK---I know there's no where in scripture that says that---I just KNOW that's what I'd do.....SO glad the Lord is longsuffering!)

I had to look the words up to the verses---I could remember pieces of them, but not all of them. This text is so beautiful---I love that my gracious Father brought this song to my mind and allowed me to be able to confess my pitiful sin to Him. This is why conviction is beautiful---it opens up a way for us to commune with a Holy God. That is amazing. I found a video on YouTube of this song---I didn't love it---it's just words, but if you'd rather hear it than see the words, Steve Green sounds great---the link is at the bottom of this post. I have a great post of Eve's birthday in the works---and we celebrated my mom's birthday, too! Hopefully I got some good pictures. I love you three who come visit me! ;D Thanks so much~hugs my friends!

The Refiner's Fire

There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flame
And all who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze, and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by their sufferings
On the anvil of His will

Chorus:

The Refiner's fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner's fire

I'm learning now to trust His touch
To crave the fire's embrace
For though my past with sin was etched
His mercies did erase
Each time His purging cleanses deeper
I'm not sure that I'll survive
Yet the strength in growing weaker
Keeps my hungry soul alive

Chorus

Words and music by Jon Mohr and Randall Dennis

 

The Refiner's Fire Video