What’s limiting you from being the leader God meant for you to be?

God can use your trials to eliminate whatever is holding you back. 

We’ve all had those stressful times in ministry when decisions get overwhelming, critics are talking, and you still have a sermon or two to prepare each week! (Plus, whatever else you’re dealing with at home.) 

But sometimes, God uses heat in your life to burn off the stuff that’s tying you down. You just need to trust God through the pain.

God says in Isaiah 48:10, “I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering” (NLT).

It’s unlikely you’ll literally go through a fiery furnace in your life, but you’ll go through the furnace of suffering many, many times. God promises to refine you with that fire.

God’s process of refining you is like making silver and gold. When either material is heated up, all the impurities burn off. Then, you’re left with 100 percent gold or silver.

If you ask a silversmith how to know when silver is pure, he’ll tell you it happens when you can see your reflection while looking into the cauldron.

God knows you are purified when he can see his own reflection in you because you’ll look more like Jesus Christ.

Only God can use the trials in your life to make you more like Jesus.