When You Are Refined by Beginnings
I don’t like change and usually do not do well with it. When life is in a routine and things are familiar, there is a sense of security. It’s in the familiar I find myself most comfortable.
God has a funny way of shaking me out of the familiar and comfortable. Like you, I have found myself in a new beginning several times over the course of my life:
beginning in a new job
beginning in a new church
beginning a new book
beginning a new diet
beginning in a new school
beginning a new relationship
In none of those beginnings did I find myself comfortable. Or at ease. Most times, I felt awkward and out of place.
Did you notice it was all about how I felt in the midst of the new beginning?
In her book, Free of Me, Sharon Hodde Miller shared this quote:
One of the best ways to face this problem of self-centeredness is to discover some cause and some purpose, some loyalty outside of yourself and give yourself to that something.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
She goes on to explain:
“When you find and pursue your purpose, you can feel it in your bones. Its exhilarating, and motivating, even when it’s hard. That’s what is so powerful about purpose. It’s not all hearts and rainbows. It doesn’t always feel good, and it’s certainly not easy, but it is compelling.”
~ Free of Me by Sharon Hodde Miller, p. 156
The unknown of the a new beginning brings an excitement, an eagerness to see what and how God is going to work and unfold His plan.
In writing to the Israelites, God encourages them to remember where they had come from (Egypt) while looking forward to the days ahead. He wanted them to realize dwelling on the past would cause them to stagnate.
“But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43: 18-19, NLT)
New beginnings –
the places where passion and purpose collide.
As we face new beginnings, what should be our focus?
Trust God.
We can look at God’s past actions in our lives and let them remind us that God will be faithful When He leads us, He can be trusted for He does what He says He will do.
God knows what He is doing.
God’s Word is still alive and living and active in our lives. We can trust Him to direct our steps.
God is creative.
God does a new thing in our lives because He is creative and is not limited to doing what He has done in the past.
During those times when our lives feel barren, dry, and empty may we remember that new beginnings spring up. He makes a path in the wilderness. He makes rivers in the middle of a dry wasteland. These are His promises to us.
Every time God brought me to a new beginning, it was to bring about something new in my life. He brought restoration and redemption. He brought new opportunities to serve Him in ways not ever explored in my life. He made me realize He moved me out of the familiar and comfortable to bring me to a place of passion and purpose.
New beginnings –
the places we realize we each have been created
so that each our lives bring Him honor and glory.
Are you facing a new beginning? What will you do today to trust God to direct your steps as He causes purpose and passion to spring up?
Be assured today that He is at work already. Ask Him for eyes to see it!
Trust the Refiner to guide your steps to a glorious new purpose.
Trust the Refiner to guide your steps to a glorious new purpose.
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Meet Joanne:
Joanne Viola celebrated her 39th wedding anniversary this year. She is a mom to two adult married children and a “Mimi” to three precious granddaughters, whom she has the joy of watching while their parents work.
Joanne loves to read and write and began blogging so her family would always know her thoughts as she processed this journey of life.
A ministry dear to Joanne’s heart is The Lulu Tree, where she serves on the governing board as well as tending to ministry partners.
Join Joanne on her blog Days & Thoughts. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
The Refined Series
Fire refines. First God, breaks our pride into tiny pieces. Then, He melts away our impurities in a crucible of affliction. Every fleck of fleshy fluff rises to the surface and is removed until we reveal His image.
This year, I want to stop fearing the fire and pray:
Lord, refine me through the flame.
For 2018, I asked God to give me a word to guide my year, and He whispered the word “Refine.” For 10 months, Bruce and I have been walking through the fire and trying to not resist the refining work He is doing in us.
I am a very slow learner, and recently it occurred to me I should step aside and create more space to listen and learn during this season. I long to sit down for a heart-to-heart chat with a wise friend who will remind me the fire has a grander purpose. Thankfully, I am blessed to know several women who’ve walked through the fire and emerged beautifully refined, and I’ve invited them to share their story here with the Wildfire Faith Community once a month.
God has promised that the fire will not consume us, but transform us.
Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy of the Refined Manifesto our Faith Fuel Library.
If you are visiting from Joanne’s today,
welcome to my little space on the web!
Here you will find fuel for a wildfire faith to help you
LOVE DEEP: Fervently extend God’s kindness and grace to pesky people.
PRAY BIG: Go down fighting on your knees with fire in your bones.
HOPE FULL: Stay tethered to a confident anticipation that keeps your heart ablaze.
STAND STRONG: Rest courageously on God’s promises with red-hot resolve.
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