Fiery Furnace

It’s strange to think that a year today I boarded a plane to  Israel. I knew I wouldn’t come back the same. But I never anticipated how much I would change. Going to Israel turned into one of the greatest blessings of my life. But, it was one of the most trying times I have experienced. Everyone has trials in their life, for me, they started the day I got there. Starting out simple at first, but ever increasing. 

As I studied in Jerusalem, I increased in knowledge and strength. The more I learned the more I tried to act upon that knowledge. I created goals. I sought to align my will with God’s. I spent many hours on my knees counseling with the Lord as to how I should proceed each day. The blessings that came were great. I grew closer to my Father in Heaven and Savior than I ever had before. I was guided and directed each day. My eyes were opened to the hand of God in my life and I was spiritually strengthened. But, there is opposition in all things.

While I continued to become stronger in God I began to feel the power of the adversary trying to shake my faith. With each blessing came a trial. And, with each lesson from God came greater accountability and expectation to continue growing in my faith. I had entered the Lord’s fiery furnace as he began to shape me and perfect me. 

In my study of the scriptures I have learned that God is constantly stretching us. As we stretch to our limit we grow. We never stay stretched out, but the next time, we can stretch a little more. That was my experience. I was stretched until the hand of God was the only thing that kept me going. I learned what it felt like to be carried by the savior until I could stand on my own again. When that time came, I was not left at the spiritual peak that broke me, but I was left far better than where I started from.  And then I came home.

It is a constant uphill battle for me as I try to regain the spiritual high that I came to know. I long for something better than what I have; knowing the possibilities.

But I can feel the gentle hand of the Lord telling me I am not ready yet, that I am still recovering. Still, I know, that when we face the fiery furnace of the Lord we are strengthened in all things. We may not always understand the trials of our faith, but they are for our benefit and what great blessings they truly are!