There is a theme in the Bible that stays hidden to most readers. It comes in times of testing, and it’s defined as refinement. Yes, refinement, as in the process used to purify gold. God gives us times of refinement to draw us closer to him.
We see it in the Israelites, who endured 40 years in the desert to bring a whole new generation up to follow God. We see it in David, who hid in the desert from Saul, and remained close to God even though he faced death. We see it in Jesus, who spent 40 days being tempted, and in Paul, who spent much of his time in prison.
This refinement is tough to endure. When Job’s whole life fell apart, he “Tore his robe and shaved his head” -Job 1:20. David repeatedly cried out to God as he went through times of refinement. It’s hard. It’s not fun. But refinement is vital to growing in Jesus. Paul used the years he spent in prison to write letters that ended up in the Bible. Jesus overcame his temptation. David became a godly king, because he knew it was only through God that he was a king. Every time you are refined, you are being prepared for something greater.
Think about it. Believing in God and following him is easy on Sunday mornings, when the worship is good and your fellow Christians are there to support you. But if you can follow God in times of trouble, you have a much more solid faith. A Sunday morning faith doesn’t cut it. Jesus wants us to grow deep roots in him, and build a foundation of rock to withstand the storms. If we can allow ourselves to be refined, we will be closer to Jesus than ever before.
I have experienced refinement in my own life. About two years ago, the church I had been attending for years went through major turmoil. The two senior pastors confessed to being in an affair, and they were both fired. This started a journey that led to the discovery of huge financial debt and a loss of friends that were badly hurt. Eventually the church decided to close the campus we had moved to in order to attend. During this time, I struggled harder than I ever have before. I doubted who Jesus was, his faithfulness, and my foundation in him. I had lost so much and I was grasping at straws, asking God if he was, in fact, there.
Then God spoke, softly. He said to me: “Hunter, I never left, and I am still in your heart. Your foundation hasn't changed.” In that moment, I knew I was okay. Jesus had never left; he had proved his faithfulness. What happened in those months? I was being refined. Jesus was letting me struggle to bring me to him. It wasn’t his plan for any of it to happen, but he used it for good. Now I have a more solid foundation in Jesus than ever before, and it is truly built on rock. Coming out of those months, which I would call the hardest time of my life so far, I am much closer to Jesus. I am able to fight for the things I need to fight for while resting in his power. This journey helped awaken my love and gift for writing, and this very blog was a result.
Times of testing aren’t bad. They are, in my opinion, the most important times we go through. God will never abandon you, and will always prove faithful. You can count on it. It may seem hard now, but remember that you are being refined. To me, there is no greater honor than to be refined by my creator. Because if God is refining me, then I will become more who he created me to be. And if that is the result, I will gladly be refined.
“This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
Zechariah 13:9 NIV
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