December 8, 2011

God Loves Us Enough to Change Us

Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. —Malachi 3:2

God uses His refining fire to change us and make us into the people He wants us to be. I realize that it isn't easy to change. I have been studying God's Word for more than thirty years, and I still have to work at many things and allow God to change me in certain ways.

I'm still not where I need to be, but I thank God I'm not where I used to be.

If we become stubborn or unwilling to repent when God's refining fire comes to reveal a behavior that needs to be changed in us, then love gets stubborn. Let me explain. We know that God is love, and He is a jealous God. He doesn't want anything in us to occupy the place that belongs to Him. And love, God Himself, will be jealous enough and stubborn enough to stick with us until He gets His way.

Love (God) will show us things we don't want to see in order to help us be what we need to be.

Fire devours all impurities and leaves all that remains ablaze for God's glory. A lot of the old Joyce Meyer has been burned up in God's refining fire over the years. It definitely has not been easy, but it definitely has been worth it.

God's refining fire may come to you in different ways. You may have a nudge in your heart to stop doing something and start doing something else; you may feel convicted as He speaks to you through His Word; or you may hear from His Spirit directly in your spirit.

However it comes, God will bring His refining fire to your life. When it comes, don't resist it, but trust God and let the fire work.

God's word for you today: God is changing you daily and today you are better than you were yesterday.

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