Refining

Although refining diamonds sounds pretty, it really isn't. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite of any sort of glamorous. Refining is defined as the melting down of impurities or unwanted elements; improving something by making small changes. 

That’s refining. Picture flames everywhere. Melting, destroying the old. Pressure. Tight. Bursting. Hot flames. And this process over and over and over. 

Psalm 66:10-12 “For you, God, tested us. You refined us like silver… but you brought us to a place of abundance.”

God is going to refine every bit of you. He loves you too much to leave any jagged edges where your fullest potential is restricted from reaching its peak. He's going with you. Into the fire, the flames, the heat, the pressure. And in the middle of that refinement of hardships, burden, confusion, sadness, desperation, loneliness, impatience - whatever it is for you, He's training you. He's preparing you. Yes there's flames bigger than you can grasp and so much weighing heavy on you but He's saying, "my child, focus, I'm here. Don't look that way. Don't fold yet. Eyes on me..." 

You see, He's planning something incredible in your life through the trials. I wish so badly I could know the answers and explain why point A happened and the joy, success, reasoning, and revelation that awaits you in point B, but we are not that powerful. However our God is that powerful. And He is that good. He is that wondrous to turn the worst parts of your life into something so beautiful.

Your life is important. Your life has value. Your life was created for something so big. And when God created you, He knew just what you were capable of and that's why He won't leave you alone even when life hits and hits and hits. 

A messy training session. A painful fight. A treacherous valley. A deserving mountaintop. An impacting story. An abundant life. A divine order. 

Keep refining. Keep shining. He's got you.