The Tests of Life--Our Soul Refines

Michael E. Wood
November 18, 2010

As Pastor Robert Briggs of Immanuel Baptist in Sacramento, California was closing out a message on "The Reality of Challenges with Spiritual Immaturity", he read from 2nd Peter 1:5-9.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 2 Peter 1:5-9

This took me back in time while at Beacon Baptist as Pastor Barkman began preaching through this book of the Bible, and the following thoughts came to mind. The first stanza was written during the devotional message during prayer meeting with its conclusion finalized later at home.

Much easier now to say the words,
Than live them when the test occurs.
Which tempt us to remove our gaze,
From Him Who saved by grace amazed.

And thus our God in love reminds,
The tests of life our soul refines;
To cause us to dig deeper still
Into His Word to know His will.

For we are not made perfect yet.
So firmly let our minds be set
On all He shows that pleases Him.
Oh, Praise His Name with all of them
That He has chosen to behold
His face more precious than was told.