I was getting ready for the day, looking at my face in the mirror and the words to a Primary song came to mind, "Heavenly Father, are you really there?" In other words, can I see you, in me? In Alma 15:14 & 19 we are asked this question, "Have ye received his (Christ's) image in your countenances?" What a gift that would be- to be enough like our Savior that others can see Him in us. Achieving that is not something that happens on our own. It isn't easy or comfortable. It requires refinement, challenges, and adversity... all the same things He went through. If I want to be like Jesus and see Him in me, why is it so hard sometimes to accept the challenges of life? Those challenges are the very opportunities I need to achieve this!
Trusting this process is key. When I was giving birth to my fourth baby I repeated the words, "it's not pain, it's progress" over and over to myself. I needed to remind myself that good was going to come from that excruciating pain. Keeping this perspective is freeing. The moment you believe your struggles have purpose, they stop feeling pointless and start making you stronger.
"The fire of refinement is hot. It’s the price of holiness. A refiner and purifier of silver uses fire to burn away impurities. But the refiner does not toss the ore in the furnace and walk away. The refiner carefully monitors the temperature and the time for introduction of oxygen, watching the silver dross to form on the surface of the molten metal. The refiner blows the dross off, leaving pure silver, the surface of which is glowing and light—like a mirror, reflecting the refiner’s image.
“He [Jesus Christ] shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." We are the precious silver, refined and chosen in the furnace of affliction. And like silver having been refined, impurities burned away, we have a godlier character, we become holy.
Will you recognize, meet, and embrace the watchful eye of the Refiner when you are in the fire of adversity?
President D. Todd Christofferson has counseled: “In the midst of this refiner’s fire, rather than get angry with God, get close to God. Call upon the Father in the name of the Son. Walk with Them in the Spirit, day by day. Allow Them over time to manifest their fidelity to you. Come truly to know Them and truly to know yourself.”
It’s going to be hard. You can do hard with Jesus, or you can do hard alone. When you do hard with Jesus Christ, the hard becomes holy."
Like everyone, I have had challenges in my life. But those challenges are not meant to break me- they are meant to refine me. If you are in the furnace of affliction, trust whose hands you are in. God and Jesus Christ haven't left you and are watching over you intently. They have a purpose for you that far surpasses anything you could imagine for yourself.
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