Photo Credit Jennifer Dunkin-Hawley
People and situations in life will always disappoint, but the Lord never will. I’ve had to learn this the hard way and it is not fun or easy. Sometimes I think the Lord allows us to go through trials to help us learn and grow. Just as silver has to go through a refining fire in order to be purified, so we also have to go through our own refining fires in order to be better people who glorify God in all things. We can use these difficult opportunities to grow closer to the Lord or we can allow the disappointments in life to make us bitter. The choice is ours.
Yesterday was a difficult day and I shed many tears over a certain person in my family. This person continues to worry and disappoint me and I just don’t understand the choices that she is making. I’ve been shedding tears over her for several years as these detrimental choices she has made have wrecked havoc on her life and the lives of those around her. It is wearisome watching it all unfold and feeling powerless to help. Maybe you can relate in a different way with something that is going on in your own life.
The good news is there is HOPE. One day the Lord spoke to me through a particular scripture. Psalm 138:8 says “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” 
Notice the word PERFECT.
The word perfect can be used in various ways. When used as an adjective, this is how the dictionary describes the meaning of perfect-
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adjectiveˈpərfikt
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1.having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.
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Or it can be used as a verb-
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1.make (something) completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible.
Either meaning you choose is a good outcome.
This scripture is so comforting to me and I wanted to write it out in calligraphy to share with others who are needing encouragement. My talented friend, Nancy painted the lovely watercolor on the scripture print. I have this scripture print and several other scripture prints available (see pictures below) for purchase on my ETSY shop HERE, so go get a copy today. Buy one to tape to your bathroom mirror (where I put mine) or frame it and display it somewhere that you can see and reflect on it often or get a copy for a friend who is struggling. I have also made them into note cards (see picture below) if you want to send an encouraging note or if you need a unique gift for someone.
Joyful Jane’s ETSY shop!
These are some of the note cards from our ETSY shop!
These are some of our other scripture prints on our ETSY shop!
Sometimes we can stop ourselves from feeling peace in situations because we allow fear to creep into our thoughts. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:25 that “The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
No matter how desperate the situation we are facing, the Lord will work it out for good and we can rest in that. Does this mean that our lives will be “perfect” according to the world’s standards? Maybe not “perfect” in the way we tend to think, but perfect in what the Lord knows what is best for us. It may not seem like He has it under control as our finite minds may feel like it is a hopeless situation, but His ways are higher and His plans are greater than any we could imagine for our life.
Life is messy and we constantly face disappointments from all sides. My friend, Jennifer Dunkin-Hawley took the picture of the lonely little vine navigating its way through the barbed wire that you can see at the top of this post. I thought it was such a good representation of how life can feel sometimes. Situations arise that are difficult every day. We can feel choked and like there is no way out. Or we can keep going and growing and trust that the Lord will “perfect” the situation. If we put the burden on ourselves we will definitely be overwhelmed, but if we give the burden over to Christ our load is lighter.
We are all fighting our own “battles”…what is your battle that you need to give to the Lord?
Some battles that I have fought through the years are- The time that our daughter was born with 7 congenital heart defects, including 5 holes in her heart. Then there was the time we lost and buried two babies. Or what about the time when I injured my back so severely that I couldn’t lift my baby for months on end. The time when my husband came home and told me he quit his job and we had to figure out a new path. Or the times like just yesterday when I feel like I am failing as a mother and only doing things marginally well…this is just a small portion of examples of my struggles-you can read more about my struggles on my Year of Brokenness post and The Rock That Changed My Whole Year post…the list could go on and on…
I still have moments that I get emotional and cry over the situation with the person in my family that I wrote about above. It doesn’t go away, but what does happen is that the Lord gives us the strength to continue on and the assurance that He is good in all things. Whatever the outcome, it will be PERFECT. I can rest in HIS wisdom and not the wisdom of man.
Please listen to this song by Andrew Peterson…It so clearly expresses in song what I’m trying to share in this post.
Always Good Song by Andrew Peterson
Hi Kristen, I was just thinking of you this morning and saying a prayer for you and your family. I know you all have been through so much with your mother, not to mention all the other things that I’m sure I know nothing about. But God – you are on the right path, as you know. So take heart! And thanks for sharing your pain as well as your journey in choosing joy each day.
Someone said or I read it somewhere a number of years ago, and it has remained with me b/c it’s so true: Everyone is trying to swallow something that won’t go down.
On the other hand, HE is faithful, and I have rejoiced to see how God has blessed your daddy and his new sweet wife. She’s even got Judy and Rodney coming to church AND Sunday school now! And while I’m sad for and continue to pray for your mom, I am thrilled that your daddy is so happy and at peace. I know you all love her, too.
I can’t think of how I might help except to pray, but if there is anything else I can do for you and your family, please let me know. Love and prayers, Marcia
Thank you for the prayers Marcia! You have helped our family in so many ways!
Beautiful and comforting. And I love the song. Have you heard Reckless Love, by Cory Asbury? Thank you Jane. Perhaps you’ve heard this story? Sorry if it’s kind of longish.
The Refiners Touch
There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three they came across verse three which says, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.
Silver smith putting heat to a silver bowl
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot – then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s the easy part — when I see my image reflected in it.”
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep His hand on you and watch over you until He sees His image in you.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
NOTE FROM KAY: I verified that the information in this story was true. I contacted a silversmith at http://www.silversmithing.com and asked if there were any untruths in the silver-smithing parts.
I received the following response from Fred Zweig: “I am familiar with the verse from Malachi. The similarities of actual refining and the chapter and verse from the Bible are accurate. It is important not to overheat the silver when refined in this process and clean molten silver will shine with a mirror-like quality when it is ready to pour. The high temperatures do volatize the impurities and form on the surface as dross. It is important to be attentive to the molten metal as it does it no good to overheat it. It may not destroy the silver, but silver has an affinity for absorbing oxygen and this can make it unworkable.”
Wow! Your story gave me goosebumps! Thank you so much for sharing!
Doesn’t that illustration just fill you up to overfilling and spill out?! God is truly good – and always has our best at the core of His heart.
Yes it certainly does!
This is beautiful! I’ve had the privilege of seeing God restore my relationship with my sister after many years and tears over her. There are still things I’m believing for. But things have dramatically changed. He will do the same for you. Believing with you!
Thank you Racheal!
It’s so encouraging how you write about real life! I have many days where I feel discouraged and need to be reminded to turn to God instead of trying to make it through my own failing strength. I love the scripture you shared and the artwork is so lovely it’s uplifting in its beauty. I will definitely be ordering my own copy to put up in my bathroom to reflect on every day. Thank you for being so real. I tend to feel alone in my struggles so it helps to know a friend that I love and admire also has moments that need more of God’s strength. Thank you! Sarah C.