Where I've Been Livin' Lately

I have talked about, preached about, counseled and mentored about, even experienced in more minor levels, the fire of God...but here lately it has gone to a new place! In the past year of my life I have experienced the refining fire of God in my life in a big way. The Lord has been dishing it out in huge doses here lately!
When I was in 7th grade, my house burned down just a few days before Christmas. Needless to say, that was a difficult time for our family. The house was so old and dry that it literally burned to the ground in one hour! With that said, sometimes our lives get so "dried out" by "old things" that have just been cluttering up our lives for a long time, that God has to send His fire to refine us once more.
God is reforming us into His image, and that means that many things have to go! Fire consumes everything, and God's fire doesn't even leave a remnant of worldliness, weakness, or status quo, it even licks up the water in the trench so to speak.
Being set on fire is never fun though, and also, IT REALLY HURTS! But, it is worth going through the pain and stretching that the fire brings to be refined into God's image in the end. So, hats off to the old adage...no pain no gain! Take heart, it will all be worth it when we see Jesus!