Tempered Steel of the Spirit
Tempered steel is the hardest, most durable steel. Thrust into the furnace until it reaches a temperature just below its melting point; it is then removed and immersed in a vat of boiling oil. When the white-hot steel comes into contact with the boiling brine, it makes a sound much like a scream. This process removes the steel’s impurities, preparing it for uses far beyond those of ordinary steel.
I’ve been studying the book of Job lately, and this image of the making of tempered steel describes Job’s crisis of faith. The intensity of his suffering is immense. More than most of us will ever experience. Since we know the end from the beginning, we know that Job will emerge from his trials with a tempered steel of the spirit that reflects an indomitable faith in his God.
There is, however, a significant difference between Job and us. We know his story while our stories are still being written. It’s hard to see the happy ending when we’re in the fire. And it’s not just the physical and emotional pain with which we must contend. It is the spiritual struggles, as our faith itself is assaulted by fears, doubts, and unanswered questions.
Faith, by its very nature, calls on us to look beyond our present life. It is the confidence of things hoped for, the assurance of things we do not see. (See Hebrews 11:1) But it is in this “looking forward” that we discover the strength we need for today and every day. May God grant you the grace needed as He forges the tempered steel of the spirit in you.
In Christ,
Dan
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