Good morning! I am glad to finally wake up to some comfortable weather. This last week or so of high heat/high humidity has been miserable. For the past week I have sought out those places where I could stay close to a fan or an air conditioner. I’m glad to finally see some relief.

Enough about the temperature, I want to talk about those times when it is really “hot.” What do you do when the heat is on? How do you survive when the thermometer of life is climbing? You know what I’m talking about. Your boss just added to your workload and wants it done yesterday. Your money just ran out but your bills for the month didn’t. Your doctor has just informed you that you have a physical challenge ahead of you. These are just a few examples of the things that bring heat into our lives.

First of all let me encourage you that trials and temptations are a normal part of life. Look at what the Bible says:

1 Peter 4:12 (NLT)
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.

James 1:2 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

There are a couple of points for you to consider from these two verses. First of all there is the admonition to not be surprised at your trials. Trials are a part of everyone’s life and no one is exempt. Secondarily the admonition is for “whenever” trouble comes your way. This verse doesn’t say “if” trouble comes your way, but instead “when” trouble comes your way. Trouble will come…you will endure trials, this is part of life.

Now I want you to focus on the last part of James 1:2. Why should trials be an opportunity for joy? Look at verses 3 and 4:

James 1:3-4 (NLT)
For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

The joy comes from the fact that you are being developed. Look at the things that God uses the trials in our lives to develop: Endurance, strong character and personal readiness. Let me give you an example. When I was younger I went through 6 months of training in a police academy to prepare me for a law enforcement career. Those of you who went through military boot camp will understand this point as well. Part of the process of my academy training was to push me to my physical and mental limits. Some of these times of training were physically painful and mentally excruciating, but ultimately they made me stronger. They also instilled survival tactics and instincts that became second nature. I was trained so that under fire I would be already prepared to respond.

If you look back on your own life you will probably see how the difficulties of the past have prepared you for later challenges. Each one has been a building block for the next. We are given another great promise when it comes to times of heat:

1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)
These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

I want you notice the words strong and pure. The example given here is gold. Gold is purified by heating it up. As gold is heated the impurities within rise to the top where they are skimmed away. In similar fashion in times of trial the impurities within us become more evident…character flaws are more visible and recognizable. God uses these times to bring purity into your life. As your faith becomes pure you become a greater reflection of God’s glory.

If today your heat index is way up…take a moment to praise God for allowing you to be refined. Until next Monday may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl