Refining

that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
(1 Peter 1:7)

Heat and pressure. Sounds comfy, huh?

Have you noticed that as you pursue your calling to write, God pursues his work of refining your character?

Have issues dealing with people? Just start marketing and social networking—those issues rise to the surface and bam! You have to deal with them.

Bitter about something that happened in your past? Guess what theme your next book will include?

Offended at a fellow believer? Guess whom God will bring across your path?

Trouble practicing patience? Well, you get the idea.

Because God loves us, He will motivate us to change. And a lot of His refining work takes place in the day to day. So, as writers called to write, we can expect His refining to be at work in us directly in the midst of our pursuit of publication, or while we’re trying to meet deadlines, etc.

The good news is, we’ll change! Good changes are headed our way.

The bad news is, there’s change involved and that can be intimidating.

The best strategy? Thankfully, God spells it out for us in His Word:

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly,
To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Words to live by in the process of refining.