Testing Comes Before Blessing

In Zechariah 13:9 I read, “I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them." (NLT)

Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take weeks, months, or even years. But there’s good news: While I’m praying for God’s answer, I’m going to learn some things that I can’t learn any other way.

In the waiting, there is blessing. One of the blessings is that I learn more about myself when I don’t instantly get everything I want.

Some prayers take a while to be answered. Why does it take so long? Because while I’m working on the prayer, God was working on me.

When I’m going through fire, I wonder why I have to go through it? It’s for testing and purification. As I pray about something over and over again, I face tests that reveal more about me.

God says in Zechariah 13:9, “I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold” (NLT).

Gold is tested by putting it in a big vat and heating it until it gets so hot that all the impurities are burned off. How do metalsmiths know when gold and silver are pure? When they can see their reflection in them.

Likewise, God can see his reflection in me when all the impurities have burned out of my life, after I’ve been through the fire. He says that, after he’s done the testing and purification, “They will call on my name, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 13:9 NLT).

Answered prayer comes after the test. Before every blessing, there is a test. God tests me with stress before he trusts me with success. These are the principles of persistent prayer.

God is going to test me before he blesses me. And in that test, I’m going to learn a lot about myself. If I give up praying, I’m never going to learn the lessons that help me become more like Jesus.

So, keep praying with persistence each day. And remember that after the testing, the blessing will come.

In summary, I am refined like silver and purified like gold. After that, I can call on his name, and he will answer. Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take time (weeks, months, or even years). But there’s good news: While I’m praying for God’s answer, I’m going to learn some things that I can’t learn any other way. In the waiting, I learn more about myself when I don’t instantly get everything I want. Why do some prayers take a while to be answered?  Because while I’m working on the prayer, God was working on me. When I’m going through fire, I wonder why I have to go through it? I’m learning that It’s for testing and purification. As I pray about something over and over again, I face tests that reveal more about me. Gold is tested by putting it in a big vat and heating it until it gets so hot that all the impurities are burned off. Metalsmiths know when gold and silver are pure when they can see their reflection in them. Likewise, God can see his reflection in me when all the impurities have burned out of my life. After he’s done the testing and purification, I can call on his name, and He will answer. Often answered prayer comes after the test. God may test me with stress before he trusts me with success. If I give up praying, I’m never going to learn the lessons that help me become more like Jesus. So, I need to keep on praying with persistence each day. Remember that after the testing, the blessing will come.

In the passage today, some believers were refined like silver and gold through the fire of their difficult circumstances. I need to also determine to be part of God's remnant, that small part of the whole that is obedient to him. Obey God no matter what the rest of the world does. This may mean trials and troubles at times; but as fire purifies gold and silver, you will be purified and made more like Christ.

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.