Today’s prompt for Five Minute Friday, hosted by Heading Home, is the word REFINE. Five minutes, no editing, just free writing.
GO –
Refine. That makes me think of the process of making metals stronger. Or making something better. Refine.
So what refines?
Encouragement – Building each other up (I Thess 5:11) is a way of refining others and ourselves.
Redirection – When we rethink what we need to do and change the way we are heading, we are refining our goals and our hoped outcomes. (Job 11:13)
Criticism – When someone lets us know something is not right, we have opportunity to refine whatever it is. Or we get mad. But if we refine that something, we are better for it.
Trials and Tribulations – When we go through something difficult, painful, hard. . . we get stronger and become more of who we should be.
God refines us when he works on our hearts. That refining is a very good thing because it brings us closer to HIM. (Zechariah 13:9)
Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is not. Sometimes we know it is happening. Sometimes we have no clue we are being refined. And in being refined, we are being made better, stronger, and more like HIM.
END.
Tagged: Five Minute Friday
At Home 
that is all so true, so very true. Especially the not knowing it sometimes. 🙂
Surprises me sometimes when I look back at it.
Amen! Wonderful post. I like your breakdown of the different things that God uses to refine us.
Have a beautiful weekend! Dropping by from FMF #65. God bless you!
Thank you. I appreciate you dropping by.
I love your list of what refines. Stopping in from #9 at the FMF.
Thank you. Thanks for stopping by.
I like how many posts are similar and so very different on FMF. Thank you for pointing out things that can help us on the path of refinement.
I know – I always find it interesting to see how similar they are. Thanks for dropping by.
Especially when we go through trials, it’s hard at the time to see that we are being refined and made better. It’s usually on the other side when we realize that God used it for our good.
Great post!
Yes, ma’am. One of the many reasons I feel that looking for replies from God to our prayers is so important. We can sometimes see that refining process. Thanks for dropping by.
Absolutely. Hindsight is very helpful sometimes.
In total agreement! I love that you gave examples of what refines us.
Your neighbor on FMF
Thanks for dropping by.
Thank you!
These are some beautiful thoughts.
Thank you.
This post makes me think of a rock being smoothed by the ocean. So it is with us, too.
Interesting image. Thanks for sharing it.
This is so good! LOVE the scripture that goes with the word REFINE. Kashoan #61 visiting from #FMF
Thank you so much. Scripture often makes these words come alive for me.
Being aware enough during those difficult moments to know that we are being ‘refined’ is a wonderful blessing.
It is, isn’t it? Would that it was always that easy to just know and wait it out.