My rings are precious possessions, white and yellow gold blended with diamond sparkles, representing the deep love of my dear husband. He is a treasure from God to me and the gold rings continue to endure after so many years of marriage…and lots of messy cleanups!
I Peter reminds me that it’s fire that produces gold. It cleanses, refines, purifies, setting gold apart as precious and valuable. Without fire, strong and shining gold doesn’t exist.
For humans, fire of suffering hurts. In the normal fires of life in a fallen world, I’ve been so comforted by God’s promise to produce gold through them.
God’s gifts of gold in today’s suffering
In my research work, I observe people’s stories and analyze common themes among them. In talking with many who have suffered multiplied earthly trials, I definitely see a theme of genuine and deepening faith by God’s grace. Many say they wouldn’t trade the suffering for anything because it was through the fires that He developed gold.
This too is my experience.
God’s gift of gold materialized through suffering
In His loving hand, trials peel back layers of our clinging to things of this world, especially the things we’d taken for granted as our security and comforts. Sins of idolatry burn away, producing His continual help to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).
In desperate need, we run to Him, bow before Him, cling to His Word, experience His strength in new ways. With His daily gifts of grace-filled gold production, we abide in His presence as we suffer the fires of this life. Let’s sing, beloved.
Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed
For I am Thy God, and will still give you aid
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand
How Firm a Foundation, attrib. R. Keen; G. Keith (1787).
When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply.
The flame shall not hurt you, I only design
Your dross to consume and the gold to refine.
God’s gift of gold in our future, from today’s suffering
On the hardest days of suffering, let’s ponder the beautiful crown of life (Rev. 2:10), His crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), the unfading crown of glory (I Pet. 5:8) that He will give to us as a reward for enduring and steadfast faith in the fires.
Maybe it will be rose gold!
One day, the enduring faith He has gifted to us as gold shaped by fires, will “result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 1:7b).
Praising God for His gifts of gold in our suffering
Dear sister in Christ, in the worst of pain, He is offering His sustaining and continual gifts of grace to me and you, helping us to endure morning by morning, hour by hour, with the presence of His indwelling Spirit.
God’s gifts of grace are gifts of gold in our suffering
The fire may feel too hot to endure today. Your faith may feel like it’s burning away, but great is His faithfulness and great is His enduring, steadfast, forever love for you in Christ.
Will you join me? Let’s cling to and sing praise to God for His constant gifts of grace as the flames engulf. For they are not burning us away; He says they are producing His perfect, purified, shining gifts of gold.
For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Ps. 117:2).
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to His foes
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
Playlist to sing Christ’s hope into your suffering
Beloved sister in Christ, let’s praise Him into the fire, singing of our assured hope in Christ today. Would you like songs to help you sing, to believe, to endure the fire? If you’d like to join me, I’ve professionally curated a playlist for us. Just sign up here and it will come to your email Tuesday evening. I’m praying the playlist helps you as much as it helps me!
2 Comments
Aritha · February 10, 2021 at 4:28 am
Thank you so much Lauri for the playlist, the nice mail and the blogpost. Keep going. It is very good what you are doing. You are a blessing. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Lauri Hogle · February 10, 2021 at 6:23 am
Thank you for your encouragement, Aritha! You are a blessing to me as you write. All praise and glory to our mighty and loving God and Jesus Christ, our beautiful Savior! He is keeping us going!
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