Conviction Through the Fire
Honoring our marriage vows and convictions made to God will ultimately bring blessings from Him. At some point though, we all experience “the fires of refinement”. Those are the difficult times in marriage. Many precious metals and silvers are refined in fire to remove the bad stuff in order to be made perfect. Every couple goes through “the
fire” or a “make or break” time in their marriage - to get rid of the bad stuff to bring refinement. How you handle the fire determines the future of your marriage.
Sadly, in these days of rampant divorce, over half of married couples jump out of the fire without resolving their problems, unwilling to bear the heat. As people who choose divorce quickly discover, the fire only heats up when divorce procedures begin and rarely goes completely out, especially when children are involved, leaving little chance for resolve or resurrection.
Withstanding the fire leads to a new understanding and a better relationship with greater love for your spouse. It builds character and turns us into the people God intends us to be.
Only then do we appreciate the true meaning of “til death do us part.” Only then will we understand the meaning of conviction to our marriage. Only then will we understand how we can spend the rest of our lives with someone who may have imperfections or habits that sometimes drive us crazy. When you love your spouse as God intended and are convicted to your marriage, those little things don’t matter. They may actually endear you to your spouse at some point.
I look at my husband sleeping at his chair in front of his computer screen. Sure, he does things that aggravate me but only for a moment. A second glance reminds me of his commitment to me, his conviction to our marriage. I know he would fight a group of terrorists for me. He would save my honor at the expense of his own life. He would do anything for me. He will always be there for me. He is the ultimate Godly husband. That is what I focus on.
I urge you to stand firm on your conviction to your marriage, especially as you experience the fire…together. Hold hands and don’t let go.
Below is a beautiful story of a silversmith:
A group of women in a Bible Study struggled with the verse, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Malachi 3:3.) One of the women sought the expertise of a silversmith to discover its true meaning.
She watched him carefully heat up the silver. It needed to burn in the hottest part of the flames to be purified. During the entire procedure of refining, the eyes of the refiner never left the silver. He said that if you kept the silver in the flame a second too long, it would destroy it, that’s why he had to watch it so carefully. When asked how he knew when it was completed he replied, “That’s easy. When I see my reflection in the silver I know it’s done.”
So you see, God has His eyes on us constantly through the purifying fires we go through in our lives. He never takes them off us. He’s always there. Only when He sees His reflection in us is the refining completed. Don't jump out of the fire before He has finished His good work in you and in your marriage!
fire” or a “make or break” time in their marriage - to get rid of the bad stuff to bring refinement. How you handle the fire determines the future of your marriage.
Sadly, in these days of rampant divorce, over half of married couples jump out of the fire without resolving their problems, unwilling to bear the heat. As people who choose divorce quickly discover, the fire only heats up when divorce procedures begin and rarely goes completely out, especially when children are involved, leaving little chance for resolve or resurrection.
Withstanding the fire leads to a new understanding and a better relationship with greater love for your spouse. It builds character and turns us into the people God intends us to be.
Only then do we appreciate the true meaning of “til death do us part.” Only then will we understand the meaning of conviction to our marriage. Only then will we understand how we can spend the rest of our lives with someone who may have imperfections or habits that sometimes drive us crazy. When you love your spouse as God intended and are convicted to your marriage, those little things don’t matter. They may actually endear you to your spouse at some point.
I look at my husband sleeping at his chair in front of his computer screen. Sure, he does things that aggravate me but only for a moment. A second glance reminds me of his commitment to me, his conviction to our marriage. I know he would fight a group of terrorists for me. He would save my honor at the expense of his own life. He would do anything for me. He will always be there for me. He is the ultimate Godly husband. That is what I focus on.
I urge you to stand firm on your conviction to your marriage, especially as you experience the fire…together. Hold hands and don’t let go.
Below is a beautiful story of a silversmith:
A group of women in a Bible Study struggled with the verse, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Malachi 3:3.) One of the women sought the expertise of a silversmith to discover its true meaning.
She watched him carefully heat up the silver. It needed to burn in the hottest part of the flames to be purified. During the entire procedure of refining, the eyes of the refiner never left the silver. He said that if you kept the silver in the flame a second too long, it would destroy it, that’s why he had to watch it so carefully. When asked how he knew when it was completed he replied, “That’s easy. When I see my reflection in the silver I know it’s done.”
So you see, God has His eyes on us constantly through the purifying fires we go through in our lives. He never takes them off us. He’s always there. Only when He sees His reflection in us is the refining completed. Don't jump out of the fire before He has finished His good work in you and in your marriage!
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