Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Refining Fire

A month ago my husband came home and told me about a grass fire along the highway 5 minutes from our home. He said the smoke was so bad that he couldn't see anything in front of him while driving through it. In fact, the police had to shut down the highway for a while. The next day, I witnessed the damage that had been done. Acres and acres of land that looked black, dead, injured.

Today, however, that same land looks green, fresh and vibrant. What a testimony to God's healing power.

This is actually what God does in each of our lives. He comes and purifies us. When we accept Him into our lives and place Him in control, He strips our past sins and makes us pure. Malachi talks about the fire "refining them like gold and silver." (Malachi 3:3b). For those who are unaware, precious metals are melted from their original forms to take out their impurities. Just like the grass fire did in that field. The fire took all of the old, dead grass hanging around and purged it.

What "impurities" are you holding on to? Personally, I know I continue to struggle with giving God complete control. I continually hold onto those things I think I need. I have many walls built up that I know need to be blown away. Lately, I've been praying that God help me let go, when what I realize I should be praying for is "God take them, their yours." My heart may feel like that burnt, black field, full of dead sins which I struggle to let go of, but I know that there are fields of lush green waiting for me to embrace.

Are you struggling letting go of your "impurities?" God does not want us to be in this state. He wants us lush with the promise of new life with Him if we only accept it. I pray for myself and you that we would all let go of that which is keeping us from fully submitting to God and keeping us from the new life He has promised each of us.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Michelle, this is so timely for me. These past few months God has been working on refining my heart, but I've been kicking and screaming. Thank you for this post!

Kristen Schiffman said...

This is so beautiful. What a vivid image of what our God brings from what seems to be wreckage.

BTW, love the new look of your blog!

heidi said...

I really enjoyed this! Beauty does rise from the ashes. I've been trying to have my ducks in a row ...and in the process other things were getting neglected. The Lord is definitely refining me. Stepping out of my perfect comfort zone.

Pat said...

If you saw that same burnt field a week later you wouldn't have believe it went through a devastating fire. It was green and lush when the grass around that hadn't burnt was still brown. This is so true of us when we allow God to refine us or get rid of all the dead grass in our lives. We will flourish in God's amazing grace.

Alex said...

A post I can definitely relate to! Thank you for your wonderful pearls of wisdom.

As an aside, I have absolutely no idea on what the fuss is about with all the 'i-things'! :) Let me know when you find out!!

Michelle said...

Thank you for the lovely comments. I wrote this entry about three weeks ago and have been tweaking. When I finally posted I wasn't sure of it? Obviously a God thing.

My photo
Alberta, Canada
I'm a 39 year old (oh yeah I'm telling you my age) Stay at Home mom. A former Bad Girl now reformed sinner, I'm married to my Y2K guy and raising 3 great children from God. Proudly Canadian, however, missing the West Coast, I currently live in the prairies watching the farmers fields produce as I learn how God produces the fruits in me.
FacebookTwitter
Email
RSS

Mini Me

Mini Me

Middleman

Middleman

Tormentinator

Tormentinator

Friends and Neighbours

Where I travel

Prairie History