How the Heat of Your Trial Refines You

Did you know that the heat of your trial refines you for God’s glory?

I know you are either going through a trial right now, just recovering from one, or getting ready to face a new one. That’s just how life is.

Recently, I learned an interesting fact about how the temperature of the heat in our trials makes a difference. I hope it encourages you today.

How the Heat of Your Trial Refines You

Prefer to listen? Here’s the podcast episode:

Let’s look at this Scripture passage first.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.

But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.

The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.

But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NLT

A couple weeks ago in my BSF discussion group, one of the ladies looked up the different temperatures at which those materials burn or melt. The higher the burning temperature, the more valuable the item.

Take a look at this list:

Gold – 1,943 degrees Fahrenheit.
Price per ounce: $1,656.70

Silver – 1,763 degrees Fahrenheit.
Price per ounce: $16.95

Diamond – 7,280 degrees Fahrenheit.
Price per carat ranges between $1,900 and $16,000

Ruby – 3,400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Price per carat ranges between $10,000 and $18,000

Wood burns at 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
A rank of wood (stack 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft.) costs around $40.

Hay or straw can burn at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
A large bale of straw costs around $7.

As you can see, the heat of the trial reveals and reflects the value of the item.

You can take comfort knowing that the hotter the fire is in your trial, the more valuable your faith is to God. Our trials not only build our faith, but produce rewards for us in eternal life. This truth brings me great comfort–how about you?

However, this truth is difficult to grasp in the middle of a trial. That’s when we just want out and want the pain to be over. We don’t feel like we’re “building” anything when we are suffering.

But God is building beautiful things inside of us as we persevere through our trials. He is laying a foundation of gold, silver and costly jewels on top of the wonderful riches you already have (see Ephesians 1:3-14) as a believer of Jesus.

Why waste your time on things that don’t last? Many Christians are satisfied with an intake of “milk” rather than the “meat” of the Bible (see 1 Cor. 3:1-3), trapped in worldly thinking. This type of intake will produce faith that “barely escapes through a wall of flames.” If you practice the spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, meditation, and corporate worship, you’ll have a stronger foundation when you face fiery trials.

I pray that if you are facing a tough trial right now, this devotion encourages you. Do you have a prayer request to share with me? Simply go to my Contact page to share a prayer request for your current trial.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for refining me in your holy fire.
I often don’t see the value of the trial I’m facing.
But I trust you will bring something good from it.
Help me become disciplined in my faith.
I want to face trials with more confidence.
I want my faith to produce lasting glory for you, Lord.
Empower me to face my trials with courage and strength.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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