Fiery Trials

Beth Moore continues to amaze me. When I read scripture normally I grasp most of it, but somehow she reads scripture and can pull a million different lessons from one verse. Thankfully she chooses to write bible studies so I too can learn those lessons.

Last night's video was on our Fiery Trials. She called this one "a renewed jolt of truth." Its a concept that we all know, but it's a great reminder of the Lord's faithfulness and His purpose for allowing trials to come into our lives.

*God never allows or appoints a fire unless He can bring beauty from the ashes.*

1 Peter 1:6-9
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These 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. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1. We cannot avoid fiery trials.
a. God is much more interested in our calling than our comfort.
b. Even faithful people have difficulties.

2. The purpose of the refinement is always to make us:
a. objects of beauty (God burns away what is fake and brings out what is true.)
b. recipients of rewards

3. One primary purpose of a fiery trial is to surface the dross.
(The longer we're in the fire-the more purified we become.)

4. We cannot often refuse the fire, but we can refuse to be refined.

5. Sometimes our fiery trials are absolutely necessary to fulfill our callings.


Beth really challenged us last night that most of of us confuse our irritations with tribulations. A broken nail, traffic, a difficult child....though these things drive us crazy they are by no means tribulations. Most of us don't even know what tribulation is!

However, many people have experienced tribulation(s). God doesn't allow these things to happen just because he wants to punish us. (though there are always consequences for sin) God allows trials and tribulations to refine us for His purpose.