Dear Friend,

Have you suddenly received unexpected, unwanted news? Well, this, too, is part of God's training. He's tempering you.

Like a heavenly Blacksmith, God occasionally takes us from red-hot times of devotion, joy, and service and, to our dismay, plunges us into cold, callous, chilling waters of sudden disappointments or strange opposition. Why?

Natural tempering makes glass and metal up to five times stronger, and thus much more useful and much less likely to fail in a building, home, or other structure. And spiritual tempering has similar effects on Christians.

The more Father tempers us - by exposing us in rapid sequence to joys and griefs, delights and disappointments, sweet victories and cruel defeats - and we take the tempering well (accepting, obeying, enduring), the stronger we become spiritually. This makes us much more useful and powerful as God's servants and ministers and much less likely to fail in devotion or service in our future tests.

For instance, the pagan crowds in Lystra were ready to worship Paul as a god when his command of faith miraculously healed a lifelong cripple before their very eyes (Acts 14:6-18). But in a sudden, bizarre twist, only moments later the same crowd changed their minds, denounced Paul, and stoned him - to death! Or so they thought (Acts 14:19). O, my! What a shock!

But here's the point: God used these kinds of experiences, when Paul endured them well, to make Paul the amazing overcomer and enviably effective minister he was! Nothing easy, predictable, and comfortable. No, God uses shock treatment to produce His shock troops! And He uses sudden, drastic shifts in fortune and circumstance to forge His most powerful ministers. These are the ones who then, by courageous obedience, unwavering loyalty, and steady intercession and ministry, shock the devil and overpower his powers of darkness.

Has the heavenly Blacksmith's sudden reversal of your fortunes left you feeling like Paul at Lystra, kind of "stoned" (numb) and "dead" (lifeless) and "dragged" into a situation you strongly dislike? Then, like Paul, rise from your "stoning-shock," reaffirm your faith in God's unfailing faithfulness to you, and boldly confess your confidence that your "tempering," like Paul's, will only make you stronger!

Then, with your audible confession of humble faith still ringing in your ears, follow Paul's footsteps. Go on to your "Derbe," where less-tempered and untempered Christians need to be strengthened by your freshly tested and strengthened God-confidence (Acts 14:20). Then, still suffering unwanted adversity, go further with Paul in ministry to your "Lystra," "Iconium," and "Antioch," where still more inexperienced believers need your strong counsel, inspired exhortation, and empowering teaching.

And while you go, be praising God, knowing every shock treatment you endure well makes you more able to handle future shocks, attacks, or devilish surprises without wavering one inch in your faith, faithfulness, devotion, and leadership.

That will delight the Blacksmith, who is forging you for His purposes - and shock the devil, that infernal scrap metal peddler who hoped so maliciously the shock would send you onto his scrap heap of unusable Christians, no longer "sanctified, and fit for the master's use, and prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

Shocked, but still abiding, seeking, worshiping, growing stronger,

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries