Have you recognized the process of refinement in your life?
How does refinement bring peace?
The creative process.
Thank God who created trees for sketchbook paper bound with metal, also markers and watercolor paint to apply. Materials and tools are created by process of development and manufacturing with God-given knowledge, imagination, skill and discipline. Inspiration, research, thought to design, ability to use specific methods and make changes result in drawings which reflect layers of experience, intentional depth and purpose. Rough sketches may be chosen, evaluated, reworked and produced into new forms of presentable artwork or products. Many people enjoy art for self-care and mental health or to share. It can’t be judged objectively—it’s reflected uniquely in the eye of each contemplative beholder.
Life is a process.
Has your life turned out exactly as you imagined it? Traditions, dreams and habits do have a good and proper place. However, being stuck in a dream, particular state of the past, or obsession will cause frustration for self and contention with those nearby. By the faith given us, we realize how life goes from rough to saved. We can embrace life’s continual changes with growth, insight and guidance to choose healthy words and actions with the help of the Holy Spirit. Holding a perspective based on respecting God, leads us to set goals, explore, and share life using good manners in our society, at home, and at church. Strength is a gift from the Lord who moves us to confess our own failures and speak truth gently. Without love, tendencies are to completely ignore people, point at them, or act like a noisy gong and clanging cymbal. Psalm 139 mentions we were knit together in our mothers’ wombs and we may ask our Creator to lead us in the way everlasting!
Zechariah 13:9
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| And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ Zechariah 13:9 |
Temptations are difficult to resist, especially if we aren’t willing to pray for strength.
The deceiver Satan and his unclean spirits work constantly to break down and destroy relationships. The devil vigorously attempts to sway Christians away from the faith by using various temptations which, when indulged, lead people into hypocritical, harsh, obstinate, malicious, cruel, jealous and heartless behaviors—sadly, often disavowed. When this becomes a rhythm, then its blinding and hardening effects need to be repaired.
Thankfully, the Almighty cares. We do right when we
- listen to the common sense God created within us,
- come with willingness to listen to God’s direction, and most of all,
- put our trust in Jesus our Savior.
Jesus knows the same feelings we have of stress and fear and depression. —The Human Jesus by Dr. Kari Vo
The wisdom of Truth prompts us to ask ourselves, “what is my heart like as I worship the Lord and in my relationship actions toward others?” We should not only hear, but also faithfully do the Word of God—be genuine, gentle, amenable, helpful, kind, calm and merciful. Honestly maintaining a humble, repentant disposition is part of the process of receiving God’s grace and power. Faith supplies discernment which is vital when attempting to communicate with those who are unreliable with truth and disavow their failings.
Our Creator, who made everything perfectly in the first place, is grieved over the damage sin causes in the world. Our Lord loves and desires to refine us. He calls us His beloved children even while we are foolish! God is all about a purifying process to serve us so we can connect with Jesus. Our Savior
- willingly took on the nature of humanity like us, except without imperfection
- leaned on Our Father in perfect obedience
- suffered betrayal
- was viciously wounded to the point of death by crucifixion
- was buried
- declared victory over the devil
- bodily rose from the grave
- ascended to heaven
- sent us a Helper, the Spirit of Truth
- promised to return
Christ was pierced to rescue, cleanse and renew us. The Spirit of Truth helps us believe beyond reason that God would love in such an extravagant sacrificial way. The work of Jesus is believed by faith which the Holy Spirit gives in Baptism; plus, by hearing the Word taught rightly, the hope in Christ is certain and it comforts. Believing sinners pray to the One who forgives and saves us from messes we make. He always answers—as we expect or in His own way.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV
We are called to be beneficiaries of our Heavenly Father’s work-in-progress plan that we inherit salvation! Our Lord sees the big picture. Troubles draw us near God who builds us up with confidence to endure, standing firm in what is praiseworthy,
excellent, good, and proper. Temporary difficulties, seemingly inconvenient to us due to our sinful nature and constricted vision, are beneficial for our own good as well as the development and improvement of others. God refines complex impurities with processing methods much higher than we can know. We may thankfully receive Jesus’ marvelous gifts in the Lord’s Supper and, also, we are free to reject.
Jesus is the vine and we are branches connected to Him. God prunes us to keep us living in Him and fruitful among others.
If we choose to pass up nutrition of the Word which gives life, we starve ourselves to death, dry up and we break the connection by our distrust. God gives those who ignore and reject the Holy Spirit what they deserve—eternal death. Dead branches are thrown into fire and burned. Those choosing to reject the gift of repentance won’t be permitted to join Jesus in heaven, nor upon His return, at His ultimate destination for us.
All who believe and are baptized are not lost—even though we wander, doubt, hide, and whine that life is overwhelmingly unfair when things don’t go our way.
In the merits of Christ, God lifts up those who humbly confess sins. The Lord is more willing to hear and forgive than we are to pray for mercy. Jesus encourages us to ask for His peace, no matter what. He exalts those who humble themselves and humbles those who elevate themselves. Thoughts and actions attempting to usurp God’s Word in its fullness make the Almighty angry. Apart from the faith, the world wants us to deny what is true. Apart from the Truth, delusion and rationalization impacts self-righteousness or a superiority complex to name a only a couple of many bad behaviors.
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’” Zechariah 1:1-6 ESV
By grace until Christ returns, faith knows the Holy Spirit is constantly calling us back to Truth and a life of repentance. The divine worship service is an opportunity to hear the clarifying Law so we may acknowledge our need for the Gospel. Regularly receiving this Word, we may even taste Christ’s gifts of forgiveness and feel His strength run through our bodies as God designed! Unless we decide to ignore or deny Truth, we endure to the end and are saved. God’s merciful peace and comfort transforms us into His beloved works-of-art, ready to resist and flee evil. Living in faith, we are inspired to keep on minding our own business when it comes to recognizing and confessing our own faults. Our Creator refines us with specific abilities to grow virtuously and not hold things against others. In thankfulness of Christ indwelling in the heart, compassion and desire flow to sharing His love, forgiveness and grace with others! God loves to hear our prayers of repentance, contentment and gratitude for His glorious process!
