When our trials are given to the Lord, they do not destroy us; they make us. It is not always possible for us to grasp that in the midst of the storm, but it is true. Life is a refining process to followers of the Lamb. We see how He went through His trials, which even ended in His unjust death. But we see God’s vindication of Him in the resurrection. Our darkest valley may be our most shaping moment. Who can tell the blessings God can bring from suffering? Who can tell the beauty that will come from our scars?
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy trials to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
-John Rippon’s Hymn, How Firm A Foundation
From “Captives of Love” by H. Lamar Smith
