God Uses Adversity to Refine You
By Rick Warren
“I, the LORD, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10 (CSB)
Anytime your world is shaken up, look for how God is at work in the situation. He wants to bring good out of even the bad things as he teaches you how to be unshakable.
God often uses the shake-up times in your life to refine you—to mold you more closely to his image. He wants to show you any wrong motivations or misconceptions, any flaws or fears that may be keeping you from growing deeper in your faith.
God says, “I, the LORD, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10 CSB).
God examines your motives because the “why” is always more important than the “what.” He values integrity over image.
It took the Israelites 40 years to cross the desert. They were in the desert that long because God kept testing them to show them that their faith was insufficient, and that they weren’t ready to go into the Promised Land.
The Bible says, “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2 NIV).
Over those 40 years, God gave them seven tests, and every time they failed, he would, in a sense, say, “Okay, take another lap around the desert.”
Sometimes God will take you to a desert too, to see if you will trust him. What matters in these desert times is not how much you feel God’s presence but how you walk according to his Word, even when you don’t feel he’s with you.
The Bible compares problems to a refining fire, burning off impurities: “Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person’s heart is tested by the Lord” (Proverbs 17:3 GNT).
God tests you to see if you believe what you claim. When the heat is on, do you turn away or turn toward God? Do you lower your standards just to be popular? Are you totally committed to God, even when the pressure is strong?
When your life is shaken, always remember that God wants what is best for you. In the Message paraphrase, he says, “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for” (Jeremiah 29:11 MSG).
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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