A smooth and transparent piece of silver starts out as a rough and jagged metal. It's natural form is not attractive, and it must be wielded over a hot fire to be made into beautiful jewelry. When a silversmith is refining silver, he purposely puts the piece he's working on where the flames are hottest, in order for the impurities or "dross" to be melted away. The silversmith also must keep careful watch over his piece of silver while he is working on it. He can't leave it for one second or it will be ruined. He watches over it, so that it will look exactly how he wants.
"See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10
This is what God is doing in me right now. I am being painfully refined in the furnace of affliction. From the outside it looks as if I have been forsaken, but my silversmith is still watching over me. I've finally realized that pain is not the absence of God in my life, he is merely squeezing my hand a little harder. In fact, pain is the reality that I proven faithful enough for God to test me. He knows that at the end of this road is a green pasture if I would only stay close to him while in the dark valley. There are certain things you can only learn about God while in pain. The mountain is wonderful, but I become more like Christ while in the dark valley. If I were to look back at my short life I cannot find a lesson I have learned through easy circumstances. Times of happiness and easy living are a nice break, but without the storms my character is weak and untried. When I am in the furnace of affliction, I am in almost continual prayer with God. When I am on the mountain, I don't need him as much. God knows I will slowly decay and rust without my spirit being constantly fine tuned.
Another verse that speaks of being "refined" is found is Psalms, and ironically is a psalm of praise!
" Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance." Psalm 66
My sole comfort while I am in the fire of affliction, and the hope that encourages me not to let my circumstances defeat me, is the "place of abundance." The silversmith doesn't leave his silver over the hot flames forever. He only leaves it there until it is ready for him to wield into the shape he wants. God is keeping me in the fire of affliction so he can make me into a beautiful piece of silver. God is making my soul so luminous, that when he finally takes me out of the fire, he sees a reflection of himself.
