Tried

(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ( 1 Peter 1:7 KJV)

According to Merriam-Webster, the word tried means subjected to trials or distress; found good faithful or trustworthy through experience or testing. Dictionary.com defines it as subjected to hardship, worry, trouble on the like.

These past nine months of my life has been filled with so many trials and test. From the church that I had been attending closing its doors to worries over my nephew (who is my heart) being incarcerated having no idea how long he’s facing, to being diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis which caused my sugar to spike up to 588 which is stroke level. It meant sleepless nights because my body had to get used to the medication and I was throwing up constantly. It was weeks of being sick not being to properly take care of an elderly mom. Who even though she wouldn’t say it aloud no matter how sick I felt. I never missed a church service and she couldn’t understand it and in some ways, I felt she resented me for it. It’s been months of the Devil whispering in my ear that God had forgotten that my work had been in vain. To finally a very special person in my life dying three days before the start of 2019. Being made to feel that my grief didn’t matter because he wasn’t family or my husband. No, he wasn’t any of those things but he loved me unconditionally. No matter what I did. That is rare. He was someone who made me feel beautiful when the world told me I was ugly.  To my mom being hospitalized at a high level for a stroke. It was beginning to be too much.

So why did I give you an insight into what I’ve been going through these past few months? It’s to show you that even Gods chosen people go thru trials and tribulations. I’m in a season of being Tried. A common misconception is that the closer you get to God. The less your troubles will be. When in truth it’s because you grow closer to him that the test will come. It is easy for us to say that we trust God in our prosperous season. When things are going our way and prayers are being answered, but can we still say that we trust him in the seasons when we are being tried. I had to ask myself this question several times during these past several months. I had to ask myself this question through the tears (and there have been plenty) and in the sickness and especially through the being misunderstood by the people around me.

(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, thou it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ( Peter 1:7 KJV)

The scripture says that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold. The word trial means a test of the performance, qualities or suitability of someone or something. So what is on trial here? What is that thing that is being tested? The scripture says that it is our faith. The book of Hebrews describes faith as Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ( Hebrews 11:1 KJV) So why is our faith being put on trial? If we go back and read Hebrews again the answer is there in our faces. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In other words, it’s not faith when we can see it. When it’s in our grasp. It’s sort of like someone saying that one day I will live in a penthouse apartment when in reality that’s where they’re already staying. It doesn’t take faith to believe in something that you already possess. When the scripture talks about the trial of your faith. It’s God asking you do you still believe that not only that I can do but that will do everything that I promised you. Especially in those times when you are being tried and your circumstances are telling you to quit because it doesn’t look as if though God will do what he had promised. The scripture tells us the trials of our faith, being more precious than of gold that perisheth so Peter is telling us that our faith is much more precious than gold. In this world gold or anything that is deemed as having monetary value is treated with respect. We tend to treat those with money with more respect than we do to those without. Even if the one with money is disrespectful to us. Peter reminds us however that our faith is way more precious than that of gold which perished. Question. If our faith is more precious than that of gold. Then why do we put so much trust in something that is only temporary?

(10) But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10 KJV)

The scripture says that he knows the way that I take. Meaning that he knows where we are right now. He knows when we are in a season of discouragement, in a season of complaining, in a season of tiredness, in a season of a lack of belief in a season of giving up. No matter what season we may currently find ourselves in. God knows the way that we take. In other words, he knows exactly where we’re at. When he has tried us, however, we shall come forth as gold. Nothing that I have been through these past months was designed to kill me. Rather it was designed to give me a purpose. It was designed to strengthen my trust in God. It was designed so that when I tell someone else who is going through that it’s going to be ok. It comes from a conviction of a personal place. Most of all it was designed so that I (and you) may come forth as gold.

(10) Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. ( Isaiah 48:10 KJV)

The word refined means impurities or unwanted elements having been removed by processing. The scripture says that I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Affliction is something that causes pain or suffering. So why does God use affliction to refine us?  It’s in affliction that we can pinpoint when something is wrong. When we are able to identify those things in our lives that is un-Christ-like. Being in the refining process hurts, because honestly sometimes God is trying to remove things in our lives that we are determined to hold on to. Old hurts, old wounds, habits that don’t edify the kingdom of God. I have to hold my head down in shame on these because I’ve been fighting the refining process. When in actuality me fighting the refining process was me telling God that I was fine the way the way that I am. That’s a lie. I’m broken in some places, angry in others. I’m doubtful in some areas even though God has proven himself to me time and time again. I know now however that I’m being tried and to be tried is to be refined. My pastor asked me last week can I serve God in this season (of brokenness) the answer to that is a resounding yes! Even as I write this blog now. My heart is breaking but I believe every word that I wrote if I didn’t I wouldn’t bother with this. Truth is that for me my healing comes when I write. It’s when I feel the closest to God and as I encourage you, I am also encouraging myself with his word and with his promises.

 

God’s blessings,

Aqua.