The Heat Makes Us Stronger
Welding is the process of joining metals together by using extreme heat to melt the parts together. Once cooled, the parts fuse together. In some situations, the joint where the two parts are fused together can actually be stronger than the base metal itself. Sound familiar?
But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us! Romans 5:3-5 (The Passion Translation, TPT)
What does this passage tell us? The heat that the enemy sends to destroy us can actually serve to strengthen our bond with the Lord. The world has a saying: “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” While the idea behind it is good, that saying needs a little tweaking. I would rather say: “Whatever is sent to kill you can make you stronger in the Lord.” So, how does this process work for us as believers?
As the scripture passage above tells us, when pressure and trials come, we can stay joyful, knowing that the outcome will produce patient endurance. As we stay joyful and let God work, the patience that is produced grows us up in the Lord, giving us Christ-like character. And when you have that kind of character, nothing shakes you and you are secure in what you’re hoping for. The pressure helps us in the maturing process. Sticking it out with God through the hard times strengthens our relationship with Him, making us an even more formidable opponent for the devil to deal with in the future. In other words, when things heat up, if we stay in the process, we become stronger in Christ. Experience with the Lord gives us a strong bond with Him that cannot be shaken. And as things cool down, we find that we are now more tightly bound to God than ever before. We are joined together, welded with a stronger bond. In other words, when we come out of the trial, we are stronger than when we went into it. That is why James wrote what he did about trials.
Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. James 1:2 (Amplified Bible, AMP)
The key is to keep your joy during difficult times. See each trial as an opportunity to become stronger and to get ever closer to the Lord. If you do, you’ll find that “whatever is sent to kill you can make you stronger in the Lord.” Don’t run from the fire of afflication. Embrace the heat and become stronger in Christ.
