I received this story by e-mail: This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it." If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Oh, the truth of that simple illustration. God tests us – God tries us – God puts us through the fire. Proverbs 17:3 says, “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.” Peter reminds us of this in 1 Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith … though it be tried with fire,” and again in 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you.” He warns us that trials and testings will come, and through these fiery trials we can be “partakers of Christ’s sufferings (v. 13).” Paul calls it the “fellowship of his sufferings (Phi 3:10).” And it’s through those trials of our faith that we grow spiritually.
No one knew fiery trials better than the Old Testament character Job. Look at his thoughts in Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job went through the terrible ordeal of losing everything he owned – all his material possessions – all his children – even his good health. But he recognized it only as a means of testing and trying. Oh, he cried out – he whimpered – he whined – he even questioned God – but throughout the ordeal, he recognized the sovereignty of God. “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” he said in Job 1:21.
And think of those three young Hebrew lads in Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were quite literally thrown into the fire. They trusted in God to deliver them “from the burning fiery furnace … But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods (vv. 17-18).” They recognized that it may be God’s will for them to perish – they took a stand for what was right. But in verse 25, God did deliver them, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” You see, friend, He not only puts us through the fire, but He’s right there with us to see us through it. So when you’re in a hot spot – when you’re in the fire – when you’re going through some terrible ordeal that you don’t understand, it may just be God’s fiery trial. But don’t fret – He’s real close by – He’s in the midst of the fire – He’s there to see you through.
Quote – “Let this be some comfort to you, that you are one of the Lord's suffering children, one of those who have to pass through rough roads and fiery places in the course of their pilgrimage to heaven.” – C. H. Spurgeon
