Not out, but through

“When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.” 
Isa 43:2 NKJV Before God changes our circumstances, He often uses our circumstances to change us. Yes, He has promised to deliver us from our troubles, but not necessarily on our schedule or in the way we think. God wants to do more than just deliver us; He wants to develop us into the likeness of His Son and into the fullness of our God-given potential. Notice how often the word through is used in Scripture. To get to the Promised Land, Israel had to go through the Red Sea, through the wilderness, and through the Jordan River. Think about these two Scriptures: “As they pass through the Valley of Baca [brokenness, loss, grief, and weeping] they make it a spring…they go from strength to strength” (Ps 84:5-7 NKJV). “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned” (Isa 43:2 NKJV). God doesn’t work in minutes, hours, and days; He works in seasons. The refiner knows how long the ore must stay in the fire to produce gold. The potter knows how long the clay must stay on the wheel to become a thing of value, beauty, and usefulness. Trust God; He knows what He’s doing. Be patient; while God is working for you, He’s working in you. When you get through this experience, you’ll look back and thank Him for the things He has taught you.

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