Hey friend,
I’m so glad you made it here for another Wednesday Word. Life can move fast, but these moments remind us to slow down and sit with God’s truth for a bit. My prayer is that today’s devotional gives you a spark of encouragement and a quiet moment of peace amidst your busy week.
Scripture:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” - James 1:2-4 (NIV)
If you’ve been walking through a tough season lately, I want to remind you of something:
God is still good.
He’s always been good.
But that doesn’t mean everything in life will feel good.
The truth is, we don’t grow when things are easy. We grow when life gets hard...when we’re stretched, tested, and refined in the fire.
A diamond is formed under high pressure and intense heat. Wheat is crushed and threshed before it becomes usable grain. And in the same way, our faith is refined through the trials that test us, stretch us, and sometimes even break us.
But God doesn’t cause pain without purpose. Sometimes the very things that hurt the most are what shape us into who we were meant to be. The fire isn’t meant to destroy us; it’s meant to purify us.
When I look back over my own life, I can see the seasons that felt unbearable at the time...the heartbreaks, the disappointments, the loss, and the waiting...and realize that’s where God was doing His deepest work. My scars have become reminders of His strength, not a reminder of my weakness.
Every one of them tells a story of His faithfulness.
You might be in the middle of your own refining season right now, wondering why it’s so hard. But I want to encourage you to hold on. God is not absent in your struggle. He’s right there in the fire with you, shaping you into something stronger, purer, and more like Him.
It’s not wasted. None of it. And one day you'll realize that it was all for good.
Reflect & Respond
- What’s one difficult season in your life where you’ve seen God’s hand, even in the pain?
- How might God be refining or pruning something in you right now?
- What scar in your life could become a testimony of His strength and goodness?
Take a moment today to thank God for His presence, not just in the blessings, but in the battles too.
A Simple Prayer
Father, thank You for never wasting a single hardship in my life. Help me to trust You in the fire, knowing You’re using it to strengthen and shape me. When the pressure feels too heavy, remind me that You are near and that You’re turning this pain into purpose. Make me more like You through it all. Amen.
From the Heart
My scars are a testament to God’s faithfulness.
Every single one tells the story of a God who never left my side.
We would love to hear your testimony of God’s favor and goodness, even in the dark times. When you share what He’s done, it gives others hope and spreads a little of God’s light into their week.
Leave a comment below, and we’d be honored to hear your story and pray for you.
Lastly, do you need prayer?
If you’re walking through the fire right now, know that you’re not alone, and we would love to pray with you and for you.
Comment below or email us at contact@firmlyanchoredfaith.com, and our team will add you to our prayer list.
If you have a friend or family member who you'd like to add to this email list, please fill out their information on our email sign-up: Click Here
0 comments