See, I have purified you in the furnace of adversity, but not like silver—I have refined you in the fire. - Isaiah 48:10
Nature is filled with lessons about our faith. I recently came across one from the pinecone of the Lodgepole Evergreen. This majestic tree thrives in the Rocky Mountains of western North America and populates some of our most beautiful national parks, including Yellowstone, where it makes up nearly 80% of the forest canopy. But the pinecone the Lodgepole produces is unique because it doesn’t release its seeds to propagate new trees under normal conditions. It’s not until these pinecones are subjected to extreme heat, like that of a forest fire, that they become highly prolific and fulfill their true purpose.
The same can be said for us when we feel we are walking through a fire in our own lives. When the heat gets turned up in our circumstances and we wonder how we’ll endure, can we trust God to turn our fiery trials into a meaningful experience that deepens our faith and expands our witness? Can we rely on Him to refine us in a way that brings out our true purpose?
No one looks forward to challenging times, but life is full of them. For the believer, these are the times when our dependence on God becomes palpable, His promises become our lifeline, and our prayers become earnest. Rather than fearing these difficulties, we can open ourselves to the work God will do in us and through us, as part of our journey and purpose. In God’s hands, the heat of our struggles can become life-changing blessings.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
If you’re in the midst of adversity in your life right now, in addition to asking God for His help and guidance through it, ask Him also to accomplish His purposes and to use this time to bring blessings to you and those around you.