Refined by Fire: Ignited to Rise From Comfort to CallingSample

IGNITED TO RISE

The pandemic of 2020 disrupted the lives and comfort levels of many ... including ours. A sense of normalcy and security was dismantled by something invisible. Like the wind, it was invisible, yet felt on many levels. From where I sit, the pandemic ignited a fire beneath many of us to push us into the place God was calling us to. Little did we know that getting there would require burning off every empty, unproductive habit and pattern that interfered with our created purpose.

Although the pandemic has been a painfully grueling experience for many, it has also been an influential trigger for maturation and transformation for some. It has reminded us of the importance of our devotion to God, love, and empathy toward our fellow man. It has shown us though it was hard for us to tread through, there is nothing too hard for God. It forced us to confront our fears and uncertainties and to find new ways to adapt and thrive in challenging circumstances. The scripture says that fear does not come from God, but love, power, and a sound mind do.

Tests and trials often spark change and show us our true selves. There is nothing wasted when we experience trouble. God uses it all to produce endurance, spiritual maturity, and wholeness within us. During the heat of hardships, we become awakened...more aware of the nonessential excessiveness that weighs us down, keeping us from rising to our Kingdom assignment. The spark ignites a fire that pushes us out of our comfort zones and into our assigned... designed destiny.

Are you facing a trial that seems too heavy to handle? Trust it in your Heavenly Father's providential hand. He knows how to work it all together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, not ours.