Thy Gold to Refine

Pain. Heat. It’s almost unbearable at times, isn’t it? Refining is an extremely painful experience.

I’ve heard a story of how a man was watching a refiner of gold. The refiner kept turning up the heat, until at last, the curious onlooker asked him, “How long do you need to keep that fire burning?”

The refiner replied, “Until I can see my reflection in the gold.”

What a picture of what the Refiner does to us, His treasures, His gold! When he adds more wood to the fire, we cry out, “Lord, why? I can’t cope with any more problems! The heat is high enough already!”

But He just says, “Wait and see. I am making you more beautiful and much more valuable to Me. I will not give you more than you can bear.”

God has said in His Word, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” He will give grace to endure whatever trials and testing He sends!

It is a beautiful picture of what God is doing in my life. Within this past year, we had to leave our church of people that we had churched with for eight years. Now, we don’t see them more than a few times a year. It’s painful. Very much so. But I have grown so much closer to my Saviour throughout it. He has led me into such a sweet, close relationship with Him, dearer than any earthly friendship can ever be. It almost makes it worth it all. I know that it will be worth it all, when He is finally finished with me. I am so thankful that He is faithful, and He never gives up on me. His love and tender mercies never fail!

Throughout everything, God has used this hymn as such a comfort and encouragement to me:

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

To you, who, for refuge, to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove

My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to its foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I will never, no never, no never forsake." --John Rippon

He knows my distress, my pain, and He is with me, strengthening me. He will never leave or forsake me. His grace is sufficient, and His love is forever. He will not leave the heat on any longer than necessary. Only until He sees His reflection in me. Until I am truly a Christian — a copy of Him.

(Printed March 2005, DGSP Magazine. See text at bottom of page for more information.)