Tried by Fire

Sitting by my cozy fire, I needed a piece of scrapwood to enhance the temperature. Searching through the "junk" wood, I came across what appeared to be a piece of a cabinet door. The weather worn slim grainy piece had a light blue shiny ceramic handle screwed in the middle of it. Hesitent to toss it in, concerned the knob would melt into some ungodly toxic glob, I wondered if it would survive the trial. Impulsively, I tossed the thing in, under the hottest part of the blaze.
The next day, after the ashes had cooled, I shoveled out the remains and found to my amazement the knob had no indication of harm. It was even still shiny. The screw which held it fast to the doomed board was gone (usually metal fixtures remain). My only guess is the fire was too intense for the weak metal.
Ah, then the Spirit of God brought in into focus. The knob was unscathed because it had been fired before in its creation. The heat of the kiln was more intense and the piece was subject to that heat for a longer duration of time. This made it "untouchable" by anything my wood stove could throw at it.
Now, the life lesson. We all would love to skip through a trumoil free live, however, if we are never pressurezed in the kiln of life, when catastrophic events happen, we would disintegrate under their weight. However, God has a better plan for His people. He allows and sometimes sets up hot situation so we can be "proofed" for the real tests of life.
So, if you are in a "hot spot" and wondering why, consider it a gift so when tougher times come, when all around you is ash, you will emerge untouched, brilliant in the grace of God.

Blessings to you
Beth