Walking through Fire

No one likes pain. It is hard to face. I would like life to go smoothly. A part of me 

wishes that, when we serve God with our whole heart, seeking to honor him with 

every part of our lives, that thing will go smoothly. That is not reality, the reality is

 that when we serve God, we will be attacked, maligned, falsely accused, discouraged

 and mistreated. I was praying about it this morning and this revelation came to me.

 God never promised that there would never be trouble. He never promised to remove the

fire!

When Isaiah prophesied over King Hezekiah he said “ When you pass through the

 waters,  I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume

you” God knew Hezekiah would stand in the heat of the fire of Molech watching his 

brother be thrown into the fire, while his life was spared for God’s purposes. God never

 chose to spare him that traumatic experience, rather he let King Hezekiah feel the heat 

and experience the sheer terror of the threat on his life, not once but twice by fire!

So who am I to question God! I do not have that right! I surrendered that when I chose to

take up my cross and follow Him. If he chooses for me to walk through fire, I will 

walk with praise on my lips. We are assured that God searches the hearts and of men. 

He knows my heart! He will ensure that “all things work together for the Good of those 

who love the God and are called according to His purposes”. Therefore, as a woman, 

who loves God wholeheartedly, and a person whom He clearly called, I can trust that 

He will use the pain and mess the enemy brings, for his purposes.  

In Romans 33 it says “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect when it is God who 

justifies that is, who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or

impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God who acquits us? Who is there to condemn

 us? Will Christ the Messiah who died or rather who was raised from the dead, who is at the 

right hand of God actually pleading as he intercedes for us? Who can separate us from Christ’s

 love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? or Calamity and distress? Or persecution 

or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? Even as it is written, For Thy Sake we are put to

 death all day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep to the slaughter.

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through 

Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities

 nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers nor height nor depth nor

 anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in 

Christ Jesus." Romans 8:33-39

I take a few things away from this. Firstly, I am already forgiven for any sin through Christ, 

so for all the ways I do fail, God himself gives me forgiveness in Him.  Secondly, AMID 

all these things, suggests that we do suffer many trials. I am not alone in having suffered 

many things. Thirdly, Christ provides victory through Himself and his incredible love for me!

Throughout the pages of scripture, I read of one person after the other who loved God 

wholeheartedly but was attacked, falsely accused, berated and trampled, but they all chose

 to walk through the pain, and focus on their goal, to honor God. Even though people accuse us,

 Paul in the book of Romans assures us that it's of no consequence because nothing can 

separate us from God!

The only judge that matters is the Lord. He knows my heart better than anyone. He sees my

 desire to not only love and serve him but to love others. Every day I yearn to show other’s 

love and encouragement in every way I can. But even so, I am persecuted.

So this is my declaration before God and man. In the midst of the tears and pain, I will rejoice

 in my God knowing that He alone can judge my heart. He loves me deeply. Though the world 

despise and reject me, my God does not. I may be persecuted but never abandoned, because He

will never leave me or forsake me. I surrender my present and my future to the one who holds me

 in the palm of his hand. I will get back up. And once these wounds have healed I will move on to

 the next thing God calls me to and I will continue to serve in obedience, not letting the battle 

dissuade me. For I am more than a Conqueror in Christ.