Refining

Eight beautiful hours of sleep last night. Thanks, Lord! Quite a bit more coughing yesterday--hope it doesn't indicate a problem.

Yesterday's Sunday School lesson was from Malachi 3:2, where God says He's like a refiner's fire and a launderer's bleach. Fire is hot and bleach is caustic--and both are painful. But when we trust His heart, we believe He's using the trouble for a good purpose: to remove from our character whatever doesn't look like Him. It occurs to me that at any point we can frustrate His good purposes and refuse to be refined. Dumb choice! We still get trouble (it is the normal human condition), but we miss the refining benefit if we turn away from God's heart. I surely don't want to do that.

You are wonderful encouragers. Thank you so much.

Love,
Carol