Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The Year of Being Refined by Fire

It's the last day of 2013. I can not believe it. I say that every year, but more often now the older I get. I remember my dad once telling us kids that the time just seemed to fly by and that we would understand one day what he meant by that. I think I'm finally understanding! December 31, 2013 - 365 days of 2013 gone by...how does that happen?! I'd by lying if I said that I'm sorry to see 2013 go. In actuality, I'm ready to be done with it. I'm ready to start fresh with 2014 and see what all God has in store for me and my family and my friends.

2013 brought with it some of the most devastating times and yet, God is faithful, and sprinkled in between the devastating times were also memory-making, happy times. The main theme this year of my life has been being refined by fire. I see how God is refining me through the fire. Everything that doesn't kill me, strengthens me. This year wasn't all good. It was hard. It was messy. It was sad. It was LIFE. But, at the same time there were moments of pure joy. Celebrations years in the making. Laughter so hard, I'm surprised it didn't kill me! LIFE!! I'm thankful for the year that I had because it only served to help me grow. Sometimes, the fire of life is so hot, even if you don't want to be refined, you're forced to do so :) With growing comes growing pains. I've been shown in glaring light my shortcomings and failures and the things that I need to work on the most. But God's shown me grace. When I didn't think I could take another breath, God was there. While, I'd rather not have the massive wild fires running through my life, they do serve a purpose. What I've learned this year is that God isn't a "reactive" God. By that I mean, He doesn't spare us from heartache just because we are "good" nor does He heap it upon us because we are "bad". We live in a sinful world and because of that bad things happen. It's by His grace that we experience the good things. I have always, always believed that everything happens for a reason. Nothing is random. God's got all the "balls in the air" and not one of them drops without Him knowing about it and having a plan for it. I'm alive because God's not done with me yet - He's got a plan for me. You're alive because God's not done with you either and He has a plan for you too. Nothing happens without Gods ordaining of it. I, of all people, need to be reminded of this time and time again, especially in the depths of despair.

My dad wrote a story for this year's Advent service sermons at our church. It was titled: "Josh and Kate's Absolutely Horrible, Miserable, Downright Depressing Holiday Season". I feel like that was my year. My life isn't perfect. It has cracks in it. My life is bitter. My life is sweet. My life is being refined by the One who created it. LIFE is worth living, even when it's hard. I came across this Bible verse the other day and it's going to be my "it" verse for 2014: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12 NIV)

I'm ending 2013 knowing that I'm still being refined, but I'm also in the palm of Jesus' hand and in that, I will rest!

No comments:

Post a Comment