Kay Arthur’s latest book introduced me to some amazing heroes of the faith: A missionary who was captured and tortured by the people he wished to win to Christ. A man who never lost his hope while suffering through the bodily deterioration of ALS. A woman who was able to praise God in spite of a son who took his own life. A political prisoner who gave up his blanket, his only source of warmth, to the other man in his cell and won that man to Christ with his dying words . . . I read their stories of sacrifice with tears in my eyes.
What did these folks have in common? They had learned the secret of the Refiner’s fire. By finding God’s blessing in the midst of their suffering, they became sources of hope and encouragement for every life they touched.
Kay Arthur writes, “This image of refinement is something God touches on again and again in His Word. He is the true Refiner. We are His silver. And the fire is the fire of His making.
For through His fire our Refiner will perfect an awesome work, a divine work. He will take what is impure and make it pure. He will take what is dull and make it beautiful.
He will transform us into a treasure.
He’ll refine us in the crucible so that He can see Himself in the silver—in you and me. And so the world, as well as the principalities and powers and hosts of Satan, can behold the triumph of the Redeemer.”
As Silver Refined shares strategies for emerging victorious through the fires of failure, temptation, stress, and tragedy. Kay teaches us how to recognize when the Five Deadly D’s—Disappointment, Discouragement, Dejection, Despair, and Demoralization—have begun to take hold in our hearts and how to access God’s promises before the enemy gains a foothold through them. For God’s promises are our power. I especially love how this poem sums up God’s promise to guide us . . .
Child of My love, fear not the unknown morrow,
Dread not the new demand life makes of thee;
Thy ignorance doth hold no cause for sorrow,
For what thou knowest not is known to Me.
Thou canst not see today the hidden meaning
Of My command, but thou the light shall gain.
Walk on in faith, upon My promise leaning,
And as thou goest, all shall be made plain.
One step thou seest: Then go forward boldly;
One step is far enough for faith to see.
Take that, and thy next duty shall be told thee,
For step by step thy God is leading thee.
Stand not in fear, thine adversaries counting;
Dare every peril, save to disobey.
Thou shalt march on, each obstacle surmounting,
For I, the Strong, shall open up the way.
Therefore go gladly to the task assigned thee,
Having My promise; needing nothing more,
Than just to know where’er the future find thee,
In all thy journeying—I GO BEFORE.
The Scriptures, testimonies, and practical advice on these pages strengthened me, and now I’m working through the 13-week Bible study included in this edition. As Silver Refined is a book I’ll return to again and again. Follow this link to purchase a copy for yourself or as a gift for someone you wish to encourage. (It’s only $7.99 for Kindle!)
***Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for sending me a copy of the book to share on my blog.
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