In the furnace , with Jesus !

"I advise you to buy from me gold tested by fire." Revelation 3.18

Who, reading the story of Daniel in the lions' den, did not think : "No Lord, not that" ? Could we also see how much this experience has fortified Daniel and his friends for the rest of their lives on this earth ? However, many of us do not want to face the fire, or to not want to leave us in the hands of the Lord...

"May we change our gaze on our small or large trials..."

It reminds me of the story of this man walking around when he saw a cocoon attached to a branch. Passionate about butterflies, he decided to bring him home. He wrapped it carefully, then put it in a jar and made holes on the lid. He placed it well in view to be able to observe the evolution. He regularly examined the cocoon in his envelope. He was moving and shaking so he was active. When the tremors became stronger, the man said to himself : "I'm going to help him a little, otherwise he'll die of exhaustion to shake like this".

He took some scissors and cut the side of the cocoon gently. One wing quickly went out, the other followed immediately. Finally the efforts so intense could stop !

The butterfly was walking on the edge of the jar. The man was waiting for the moment when he was going to see him fly, but nothing happened. Days passed and the butterfly still did not fly! He asked a science teacher friend for advice, explaining to him everything he had done. And immediately this teacher answered him : "He will never fly, it is the struggle and the suffering that gives him strength and prepares him to fly".

The same thing happens if you want to help a chick out of its shell. The struggle and the efforts of the chick inside his shell strengthen him and prepare him to go out on his own. It is very important that he gets to the point where he can break his shell himself. And according to scientists, the efforts he makes are huge, we could say with humor "superhuman". Woe to him who would help him by breaking the shell before the time... The chick would die before going out !

The Lord has made many things in creation that are models for us in our spiritual life. See the example of the cocoon and the chick, it's the same for us human.

The struggles and sufferings of life are there to strengthen our faith. May we change our gaze on our trials large or small, and know that without them, we probably could not resemble or identify with our model who is Jesus.

A commitment for today

"My brethren, consider as a subject of complete joy the various trials to which you may be exposed" James 1.2. May this verse be our commitment for today !

Jean-Louis Gaillard

Source (The Thought of the Day)