THE SILVERSMITH
Have you ever felt like you were being held over the fire? Do you have times in life when you’re taking hits from every direction—finances, health, work, relationships? It’s almost as though they’ve come together to conspire against you while taunting: So, you thought you were in control?
Maybe you’re feeling stretched beyond your limits by everyday responsibilities. Do you have a seemingly endless line of people vying for your attention . . . wanting a piece of you, cutting away at your already overburdened life until you feel as though you have nothing left to give?
If so, how do you respond? I know for many years, even as a professing Christian, I responded to difficult times, big and small, by attempting to gain control. I felt it was my responsibility to be strong and find solutions. My self-imposed job title was CPMO: Chief Problem-solving Multitasking Officer. And if I would start to feel as though I couldn’t take another step, I’d give myself the standard motivational speech: “Suck it up, buttercup!” I had grown to accept that there is, in fact, no rest for the weary.
How could I have been so wrong?
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Trials in life, from minor to life-altering, are inevitable. But they don’t have to tear us down. And they certainly shouldn’t launch us into control mode, stealing our rest. If our focus is upward instead of inward, not only can we have peace in the chaos, but our trials will bring about growth.
THE SILVERSMITH
Having predetermined a specific design and purpose for his creation, the silversmith begins his work. He uses one of multiple methods to prepare the silver, but fire is almost always a part of that preparation.
Once the silver is ready to receive the silversmith’s shaping, he begins to conform it to the design he has chosen by hammering, bending, cutting away unneeded pieces, or whatever else is necessary to conform the silver to the shape it is meant to take. Often, the work in progress will need to be placed back into the fire to make it more malleable, reducing its resistance to further shaping.
After the silver reaches its intended form, the silversmith is ready for the final step—polishing. He knows his creation is ready for use when it’s polished to a point of reflecting the creator’s image.
Author Unknown
The story of The Silversmith touched me deeply when I first read it more than 30 years ago. And even though I was not yet mature enough in my faith to surrender my trials to God, in the years that followed, it often brought me comfort recalling the story and thinking trials could actually have a purpose when entrusted to God’s hands.
I now believe that God placed The Silversmith in my path to do more than act as an occasional warm, cozy blanket. He used that thought-provoking analogy to plant a seed that became deep rooted. So much so that more than a decade later, it would play a part in helping me embark on the most important journey of my life—a journey of surrender.
Trials shouldn’t be occasions to deplete and break us down. On the contrary, with God in control, each time we emerge from “the fire”, a “reshaping”, or a “cutting away”, we will have grown closer to Him, our trust deepened, faith strengthened, one step closer to discovering the truest version of ourselves—the individuals He created us to be—and looking to the next step with anticipation rather than anxiety.
I hope you’ll stay a while, or return to visit How My Journey Began – The Departure Point, where I share what happened in my life that led me to realize how much I wanted—needed—to be an “all in” Christian. It was time to relinquish my attempt at control and be still in His hands so my Lord could do what only He is capable of doing, and I could start living as the woman He created me to be.
In future posts, I’ll share what I’ve been learning on this sometimes smooth, often bumpy, but always blessed journey of surrender. Some of those lessons reveal where growth is needed. And they almost always require eating a bit of humble pie if I want to be a part of nurturing, rather than hindering, that growth.
MY PRAYER
Dear Father in Heaven, I pray that the next time problems arise, You will remind me through Your Holy Spirit who indwells me, to be still in Your sovereign, all-knowing, loving hands.
I believe that, as Your child, whatever comes my way must pass through Your hands. So, the next time I feel things heating up, instead of looking for a way to put out the flame, give me the desire to rest in Your hands knowing that You will use it to work for my good.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.(Romans 8:28 & 29)
When I know the hammer is getting ready to strike, instead of taking cover in an attempt to avoid the blow, give me the desire to look up to You, arms open wide, and joyfully proclaim, Thank You God for using this to complete Your work in me!
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
And the next time the shears come out to cut away a piece of my character that isn’t consistent with who You created me to be, a reflection of Your Son, give me the desire to fall to my knees and pray, “Whatever you want, Lord. More of You and less of me.”
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)
I invite you to join me on my continuing journey and hope you will share your thoughts and experiences with me as well.
Together, let’s be still and know that He is God! (Psalm 46:10)