Fiery Furnace

Have you ever had one of those days? Weeks? Years? Unfortunately, I am afraid if you are breathing you know what I am talking about. A time when God has put you through a period of testing in order to help you grow more like Him. Recently, I have been living one of these maturing times in my own life. To be real honest, there are days that I just do not know how much more I can take, but I am finding comfort and strength in the Old Testament story of the three friends of Daniel: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were thrown into the fiery furance because of their stand for God. Their faith led them to tell the King that if this was their punishment that God could still deliver them if he choose. This statement enraged the King enough so that he set the furnace seven times hotter than ever before. They refused to bow down and were thrown into the furnace completely clothed with hats, coats and socks. Jesus showed up in the furnace with them and when they were taken out, they were victorious. They had been through the fire. The heat was hot and intense but they did survive. God did not get them through by the skin of their teeth. When they came out not only did their clothes not get burned, they did not even smell burnt, not one hair was singed. Glory to God!! When I am exposed to this fire of worldly troubles, and I feel like God is silent, I must choose to believe his promise that He is there with me. I may feel as though when God is through, I will be a mess and have black soot all over me. My hair may be singed to the roots. When I am tired and weary, it is then, I must remember that God promises that when he has accomplished what He needs to, He will run to me, pick me up and say that is enough dear child. He will then polish me off and present me as pure gold with no hint of the fire that has refined me. So if you are stuck in one of those days, weeks, or years, this is His promise to you and me, Cling to it today.

Daniel 3:27 "And the princes, governers, and captains, and the kings counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them."
I Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."