A Refiner's Fire

First off... trees are amazing! I have always loved trees; and have never come across a type of tree that I don't like. I love that there are so many different kinds. They range from tiny bonsai trees to huge red woods. I've always believed that they must be one of Heavenly Fathers favorite things since he made so many of them. He also made all of us to be different as well.  Trees have always marveled me because they are of the most durable and resilient things in nature.

I've discovered trees to be very strong; my family has an apple tree in our backyard. Several years ago it got a type of fungus in it's trunk. I remember thinking how awful it was that we were going to lose our tree. Then one day my brother went out to the tree and he did a controlled burn inside the trunk, and he got rid of all of the fungus. We weren't sure if the tree would make it and for a while it didn't look very well, but then when spring came it had some leaves coming back, and by the time it was completely spring, it was fully blooming! I was amazed; I couldn't believe that our tree was doing so well with a huge hole burned in it's trunk! That tree is still alive in our backyard to this day.

Just like my tree, in order for us to become purified of those things in our lives that would weaken us, the Lord puts us through a 'refiners fire' to purge those impurities making us  spiritually stronger and steadfast.

Trees get bigger and tougher every year, and the way I see it, they keep enduring no matter what, this is how God made them.  In Malachi 3:2-3 "...for he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify... and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

We all have trials in our lives, but we can remember that this life is our chance to be refined and purified and sometimes that comes with a trial of fire. As Job put it, "...he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." -Job 23:10

I can testify that once we make it through our trials we come out stronger, purer, and closer to God. However, it isn't until after we've made it through the fire that we look back and are grateful for the person we have become.