Purify Us, Oh Lord.

Lately, I've been reading a fabulous devotional book entitled Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman. The updated edition in today's language has been a huge encouragement to me each time I sit down to read what it has to say. There are quite a few day's thoughts I wanted to re-post, but the one for today is especially near and dear to my heart.

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. (Malachi 3:3)

Our Father, who seeks to perfect His saints in holiness, knows the value of the refiner's fire. It is with the most precious metals that a metallurgist will take the greatest care. He subjects the metal to a hot fire, for only the refiner's fire will melt the metal, release the dross, and allow the remaining, pure metal to take a new and perfect shape in the mold.

A good refiner never leaves the crucible but, as the above verse indicates, "will sit" down by it so the fire will not become even one degree too hot and possibly harm the metal. And as soon as he skims the last bit of dross from the surface and sees his face reflected in the pure metal, he extinguishes the fire.
Arthur Tappan Pierson


He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat,

    As He looked at the precious ore,

And closer He bent with a searching gaze

   As He heated it more and more.

He knew He had ore that could stand the test,

   And He wanted the finest gold

To mold as a crown for the King to wear,

   Set with gems with a price untold.

So He laid our gold in the burning fire,

    Though we would have asked for delay,

And He watched the dross that we had not seen,

    And it melted and passed away.

And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,

    But our eyes were so dim with tears,

We saw but the fire–not the Master’s hand,

    And questioned with anxious fears.

Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,

    As it mirrored a Form above,

That bent o’er the fire, though unseen by us,

    With a look of unspeakable love.

Should we think that it pleases His loving heart

    To cause us a moment’s pain?

Not so! for He saw through the present cross

    The joy of eternal gain.

So He waited there with a watchful eye,

   With a love that is strong and sure,

And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,

    Than was needed to make it pure.

Drop Your Leaves

We've had such a beautiful Fall this year. Fall has got to be one of my favorite seasons. I just love all the colors, the crispness in the air, the change. It's like you can see the change right before your very eyes, and change is often hard to see. I think that's why I love Fall so much. Trees dropping their leaves, preparing for the winter months ahead. It's one of the magnificently logical processes of nature. 

52 Week Project ~ Week 32
Falling behind this Fall, but making the most of it.

With the change of seasons comes a letting go of all those little things that can potentially burden us with unfit weight that we no longer ought to carry. But unlike nature, often times we try to hold onto these things way too long. Though wind, rain, and tempest roar, some of us would rather lay down our lives than give up our pride.

I'm forced to ask myself why...

Why do we view life this way? Why do we resist change? Why do we hold onto things that we know we just need to let go of?

These things---they don't even have to be blatantly bad---can hinder us from having authentic relationships with family and friends, from reaching out of our comfort zone to help someone in need, or from seeing the kingdom of God in all its power and glory. They can keep us stuck in an old way of thinking or in a hardened place of unforgiveness and resentment. They can misalign our priorities or slowly lead us down a slippery slope of despair.

I'll bet a thing or two comes to mind. Something that you know you should've let go long before today, but for whatever reason (you may have some very good ones), you have yet to loosen your death grip.

Just because we're human doesn't mean we don't experience seasons and need to let go of things as part of the natural progression of life. I think we could all take a lesson from nature in knowing when to let go and move on. Each season of life has a purpose, and yet, I propose that one likely reason why we fail to recognize a particularly rough season's purpose could be that we're trying to carry unnecessary baggage from the past that we stubbornly refuse to offload.

So whatever it is that's weighing you down, now is the time to free yourself up, to move on. After all, Fall is the season of noticeable change. You know it'll be beautiful. We all need to stop wishing for Summer to come back and stop dreading the Winter's cold. This season has special things for us to do and discover. Don't let it pass you by---or else soon enough you may be the snow laden tree that fell because it refused to let go of its leaves when it had the chance.

Here's a few things I've discovered so far this Fall.

...in every day of life

Like a mountain, life scales high before each of us. Climbing to the top requires much energy, strategy, and determination. Without the proper training or equipment, we might as well wish away our dreams of that "mountain-top experience"---only the best of the best make it to the highest peaks anyway.

Does this metaphor echoe the sharp tones of your life?

I've often found myself wrestling with the imagery of a mountain-centered life and the valleys it inevitably creates. Even my blog's subtitle reflects this widely-accepted view:

Discovering that, sometimes, the finest treasures can only be found in the deepest valleys.

In light of all this, it makes perfect sense for me to believe that if I'm failing to ascend to higher heights, than either
(a) I'm paralyzed somewhere on the side of the mountain---lost, scared, & confused---
(b) I'm hanging off the edge of a cliff awaiting a painful plunge, or
(c) I've already fallen into a deep valley far below all my past efforts and failed attempts to reach my goals.

Right?

Well, not really. But that's how I've felt lately.

After experiencing a harsh relapse of symptoms (around the time of my last post), I seem to have hit a bit of a rough patch...been stuck in a rut...fallen and haven't been able to get back up. It's almost as if I'm back at Square One with all this health crap. Full of uncertainty, disappointment, and questions...

Lots of questions.

From this heap of questions has arisen one, which, like many others, demands an answer:

What if I didn't view life as a mountain to climb?

And yet, all I can come up with is more questions.

Does that mean I should toss all my goals and dreams out the window and spend my days watching marathons of The Mentalist? No--leveling the mountain doesn't eliminate ambition.

Maybe I wouldn't feel so "defeated" when I find myself in a place that I formerly viewed as a valley?

Maybe I would take more time to notice---my surroundings and the people and relationships---that which I often overlooked when I had my mind fixed on reaching the top?

Maybe I would do what Ecclesiastes 11:8 says,

52 Week Project 2012 ~ Week 31

Amid the uncertainty lurking in these questions, one certain answer comes to mind. 

I'd have to resist the temptation of a mountain-centered life on a daily basis because everywhere I look, that's what I see. Whether it's corporate ladder climbing or grad school applying, this "make-it-to-the-top-as-fast-as-you-can" fever is dangerously contagious. 

The opposite extreme proves no better. The news of my medical leave from school goes out and in come the consolation text messages, the "I'm soooo sorry" hugs, the sad faces followed by a "How you holding up?" They all come from sincere hearts, I know, but they support a view of life that I'm trying to release. 

If life really was a mountain, than this medical leave would be a major setback. However, since I refuse to adopt a victim's mentality no matter how crappy I feel, this season is anything but a setback. 

With that said, yes...I'm grieving my loss; I'm frustrated beyond words; I haven't a clue how it's all going to turn out, and that scares me a bit. After all, I'm still human. 

But don't you worry.

I'll be on the look-out for some blessings in disguise.

***

In the meantime, I need some advice. Should I change my blog's subtitle?? Leave any thoughts or suggestions through the "add a comment" link below.


blessings,