Submit or Resist?

Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

During a weekly Bible study group in Kentucky, the book of Malachi was being studied. In Malachi 3:3, they read, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” The group discussed this analogy to understand its significance. It seemed the Lord chooses to put his people in the furnace; the purpose is to burn off the impurities; God watches the refining process take place; it’s a painful process. One woman in the group was fascinated by the analogy and wanted to gain the full impact of it, so she went to see a silversmith in action the following day. She observed him at work for a while, and then asked him: “Do you have to sit the whole time the refining process is taking place?” “Yes,” he replied, “it’s crucial – because if the refining process is exceeded by the slightest degree, the silver will be damaged.” The woman was comforted by the thought that similarly the Lord was watching over her, and however difficult her current circumstances were, he was in control. He wouldn’t let the refining process go on a minute longer than was required, because his purposes were good, and he didn’t want her to be damaged. The silversmith carried on gazing intently into the furnace. After a further while, the woman got up to leave, but as she was halfway out of the door, he called her back and told her he had forgotten one important detail: he only knew that the refining process was complete when he could see his own image reflected in the silver.

There’s no doubt that if we submit to the Lord’s refining process, it will involve embracing the pain. We can choose to resist and live on with the dross and impurities, but how short-sighted that would make us. Trust him today, he knows what he’s doing.

Lord, I choose to trust you and submit to your refining process in my life. Amen!