UNPACK This...The Pursuit of Spiritual MaturitySample

The Gold Process Of Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps amazed us during his Olympic career. By the time he retired, he had set the Olympic records for most gold medals won (23) and most overall medals (28).

Phelps remained remarkably elite throughout five consecutive Olympic games, captivating the sports world every four years.

Looking back at his career, two words come to mind: gold and trials. The many gold medals wrapped around his neck represent his awesome accomplishments, but Phelps has also had to deal with difficult trials along the way.

Phelps has had issues with his swim coach, his father, drugs, alcohol, and knowing how to handle fame. But while being tested in and out of the water, Phelps was growing and becoming even stronger than before.

The actual gold medals Phelps earned also went through a similar process of being tested by fire. They were subjected to intense heat, allowing impurities to rise to the top and be removed. Sometimes gold medals even have to return to the furnace to make sure they’re refined and proven pure before being presented on the Olympic podium.

Gold provides such a great illustration of what we go through in our own lives. As followers of Jesus, we know we are being refined through multiple trials and difficulties. God tests us and matures us through an “intense heat.”

The Bible explains this process in 1 Peter 1:7: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

We may want to bypass trials in life, but God always uses them to grow, purify, and spiritually mature us. Today, let’s embrace the reality that our faith, like gold, needs to be refined.

I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that my faith is more precious than gold, but like gold, it requires refining. I’m thankful that You use trials to test my faith and make it more mature. Please give me the strength to see the challenges as a pathway to a purer heart as You do Your work in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.