Devotionals

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Allow me to be a dull and boring engineer for a few moments. (I know what some of you are thinking- what would be different!?) I’ll give you a brief synopsis of heat-treating. Certain metals, particularly steels containing carbon, can be made to have a higher strength than normal. The process involves putting a chunk of metal into a red-hot furnace. The material is allowed to rise in temperature to a specific target. Once the metal is thoroughly heated, the chunk is removed and quickly quenched, or cooled. This manner of tempering increases the strength of the material. Thus, strong materials permit dull engineers to make cool things!

Have you ever had a disagreement with a friend? How about an argument with a spouse? Have you faced a life-threatening disease? Or watched a loved one succumb to one? What about loss of employment? Financial hardship? Rebellious children who continually make bad decisions? The list can go on and on. All of us have suffered unpleasant and difficult situations. None of us would choose to go through any of these ordeals.

But could God use these experiences for our good? God works in our lives through the adversities we often endure. Much like steel being tempered, He takes ordinary people and transforms them into mighty men and women of God. Trials, hurts and pains have a profound effect upon us. These experiences can make us stronger in our faith as Christians. God knows just how long and how hot the process needs to be in order to bring about Christ-like qualities. Going through the fire is not enjoyable, but the results are divinely ordered.

In closing, I’ll quote a line of a song by The Call, “Through the fire, through the pain, I still believe.” May this be our testimony, as well.


“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.“
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

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