Through the Fire

How do we handle disappointment?
How do we handle frustration or let down?
How do we go on when after we realize those we cared the most about have walked away?
..........................

I am a relational person- that is who God created me to be.

I care deeply,
I love deeply,
I hurt deeply

The problem with feeling so deeply is that sometimes I care so deeply I feel like I am just bleeding from the inside out and I can get so discouraged I feel like there is no point in going on.

Just a few days ago I told my roommate that I had decided to try not caring for a while. In my mind I thought, "Just a week, I want to not care for just a week. I want to know what it feels like, I want to know how much freedom it would bring me- to stop caring."

What you don't know is that I started writing this blog entry in February but was never able to finish it. Here, 10 months later I found myself struggling with the very same temptations. Victory comes in waves, life comes in hills. Up and down, but now will I focus on the ebb and the valley or will I fix my eyes on the prize of Jesus Christ?

Look at Daniel. Wow, what an awesome example of a life of ebb and flow, up and down. Daniel's "mountain top" experiences came with his time of prayer and worship in obedience. His "valley" came in a fiery pit. Talk about walking through the fire…literally. Daniel had a choice- he could look at that pit and say, "Well, I did my part, God, You failed me, where are Your promises now?" or, "…our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, oh king."

You know the story- Daniel chose the latter. How did God repay him? He let him burn in a fiery furnace and die, right? Nope. He rescued Daniel and his friends from the fire. Not only that, but look at how they came out- strong, unscathed by the flames. Stronger even, I submit, than when they went in to the furnace. Their faith was made sight. Not only did they believe that God was able to deliver, but based on that belief they walked forward, seeing the fire, feeling the initial heat.

My response to hurt is generally to learn from whatever it was that hurt me and protect myself as soon as I feel the heat in another situation. Sometimes I can see the fire, sometimes I just feel heat and I run. But what if I felt the heat and proclaimed God's power and sovereignty over it. What if I walked boldly into the fire and held on to the confidence that my God is able to deliver me from the burning fiery trial?

The diamond is only beautiful when put through the flame, dross is only brought up from the heat, and we only prove what we believe when the furnace comes.
The question is this: Will you believe that your God is able to deliver you, or will you, like I do so many times, run before you have a chance to proclaim His power and faithfulness?

Is your God who you say He is? Who do you say that He is? Maybe it is time to re-examine who He is according to His Word and deeds!

Be of good cheer, dear one, He is with you in the fire. <3