Trial by Fire…
By: Shanna Cole
1 Peter 1:7
That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it’s tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glorify at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Do you ever wonder when you're in the middle of what feels like some of the worst days of your life, how will I ever make it through? How will I ever be able, after this is over, to tell people I am still a wholehearted believer? That my faith wasn’t broken or shaken. Odds are, you won’t. It may happen, but with your faith, even the tiniest little bit you can muster up, you can overcome it. During these times you may doubt Him and His will. You will be doubting if you have the faith you thought you had and have told people so boldly you had. That’s ok, keep the faith.
What we must learn is that when the Lord is letting us go through some of these things he is testing us. We have declared our faith, love and belief, now he is saying, prove it. Just like with Abram that I have spoken about previously. Are you all talk or do you fully and wholeheartedly believe he will cover you no matter what.
There were times in my life I strayed so far away from the Lord, I couldn't take the dark days anymore. I believed in him, but I was losing faith in his ability that he was going to help me and what I was praying for. I wasn’t looking for all the signs he was giving me to come back to him. To quit doing what I was doing. I kept believing that all that was once good, was gone. Nothing great was ever going to happen for me again.
I promise you, when I say I strayed from my faith, I did. I did so many things I still regret, even though the Lord has forgiven me, I am still struggling with forgiving myself. Because I knew they were wrong, and I did them anyway. When we were going through all the feelings of constant unknowns with my daddy; vision loss in one eye, then vision loss in both eyes, then dialysis, then when they said there is nothing more we can do, go home and get comfortable for as long as the Lord says you have left. Each time I had prayed and prayed, let him be the miracle that you do today. Each time something else came up it was chipping away at my faith.
I said all of that to say this, you want to know what those dark days and losing my faith for a time taught me? No judgement. We never know what someone is going through or how broken they really are. Now I know it’s hard, we do it sometimes before we even realize. But if we can train ourselves that every time we try to say or think something negative about someone, we turn it around with 2 positive things, it will be easier to break that habit. It works in marriages too. I have done it myself and it makes a MASSIVE difference.
I eventually found a man, who is now my husband of 15 years, who got me back in church. A best friend that helped me get that fire back in my soul that I had for the Lord, at a younger age. Here I am, look at me now, doing what he has put on my heart. Completely out of my comfort zone. Writing a devotional, singing at multiple churches and giving God the glory through it all. He has fixed and done amazing things in my life that I know only he was able to mend and achieve. He can bring you from the darkest places and let you be the one who shines the brightest if you remember who you are shining for… God Almighty.
