3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and the Lord tests hearts.

I love the way my study Bible talks about this verse:

The second line by itself would make God only an examiner; but the first line implies that his trials are constructive: not for finding a person out but for sorting him out. When things reveal their relative worths under ‘fiery trial’, it is our part to pick out, with him, ‘the precious from the worthless’, for the benefit is not automatic.

I don’t know about you, but I find that I generally experience life according to a sort of ‘continuum’ - at the extreme left side is terrible, like a 0 out of 10, and at the extreme right is just amazing, at a 10 out of 10.  And, I find that I spend most of my life vacillating between the two.  And, what I find most interesting is that, over time, I have noticed that the real character-shaping tends to occur the closer I get to either extreme; either 0 or 10.

Here we see a reminder relating to one of the ends of the spectrum - that in the trials of our lives, in the ‘fire’, we are not just ‘revealed’, but we are shaped.  I think the commentator is onto a fantastic idea here.  If fire simply reveals our character, then it takes a TON of purpose out of struggle.  But, if the ‘fire’ BUILDS our character, then it brings a real meaning to it; it adds a purpose to it.  And, as much as I dislike struggle and ‘the fire’, I dislike it LESS if I know here is a purpose for it.

So, this morning, this verse really just reminds me that I need to maintain perspective when I am struggling, that I need to keep my eyes on the right thing - not getting away from the suffering, but GROWING in the suffering.  I need to focus on the process and I need to view it as an opportunity to commune with God.  I have heard it said, and I think it is spot on, that in times of struggle, we truly find out ‘whose’ we are.  That’s my takeaway for today!