“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the Lord tests hearts.”
– Proverbs 17:3
Precious metals are tested and refined through intense heat and fire. The crucible. The furnace. Precious silver and gold melt under the fiery trial and the junk is separated from what’s genuine. The result is pure and of great value, which everyone can acknowledge.
God does the same thing for something far more precious to Him than gold or silver. God doesn’t care about silver or gold because He already owns all that. Rather, God tests, refines, and purifies the hearts of those made in His image. Precious human beings.
God allows His children to pass through fiery trials and terrible seasons to strengthen and purify their hearts. Those who endure in Christ find their hearts and souls refined by these trials. Strengthened and renewed as they learned to walk through suffering hand-in-hand with their Suffering Savior. As they allowed themselves to be carried by God’s strength in their weakness.
Faith grows strong in the furnace. Priorities get clarified in the crucible. What is produced by those things which test our hearts is enduring faith, Christ-like character, and strength in the Spirit.
If Jesus is your Lord, please understand that it’s not a question of whether tests and trials will come. They will certainly come. But they aren’t a curse from God. They’re intended to ultimately be a blessing for your good and His glory. #FollowJesus