The Refiner

How is it anyone gets through something like this?

Someone once said to me, "I could never lose a child. I don't know how you get through it."

The truth?  "I" don't get through it. It's impossible. The Savior is the one who carries me to the other side of this fire.

I'm sure you've heard of the "refiner's fire", but what is that exactly?

I came across a wonderful story. 

"There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3) This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silver smith, 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 he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.

She asked the silver smith 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 that 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 even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silver smith, "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."

-Author Unknown

As much as this fire hurts, I do believe it is making me a better person. Some days it burns so deep, I wonder when the Refiner will say, "This is enough." I don't think it will happen for a very long time.

All I can do is continue to have unconditional faith in my Savior and trust Him completely. I think the words, "I surrender" are becoming a daily phrase for me.

And I do surrender, completely. I surrender to my Refiner as He constantly watches and holds me. I trust that only He knows when I can be taken out of this fire.