You Are Not Quite Like You Think You Are

BIBLE MEDITATION

“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

You’re probably not aware of some things lurking in your heart. Let me explain. A while back, Joyce said something to me that upset me. I might as well be honest—it made me mad because it was true. She pushed a hot button somewhere, and what was in the murky recesses of my heart came up. Joyce didn’t put it there. She only brought it out. I was surprised and ashamed at the pride, arrogance, and insensitivity in my own heart.

I got alone with God and let Him say, “You’re not quite like you think you are, are you? There are some things in that old heart of yours that need to be refined out.”

When the refiner’s fire touches us, we’re going to think God is a thousand light-years away. My dear friend, we need to trust the goodness of God and rest in the goodness of God, because Malachi says He’s just sitting there during our refining with a sovereign, sympathetic, steadfast purpose.

Our refiner is the ruler and the Redeemer. He knows exactly what He’s doing to burn away the superficial and give us the supernatural. In the middle of your trial, trust His sovereign purpose.

ACTION POINT

Receive the grace of God. Recognize the goal of God. Rest in the goodness of God when you’re in the fire. Then you’ll reflect the glory of God.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers