Maybe you have heard the story of the lady who read this scripture, “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Malachi 3:3. She was curious about its meaning so she sought out a silversmith and asked him about the process of refining silver. After he explained the procedures she asked him, “Sir, do you sit while the refining is taking place?”
The silversmith replied that he did, indeed, sit and watch the furnace constantly because if the time necessary for refining went over just the slightest degree the silver would be damaged or injured.
The lady was thrilled to be able to understand the scripture in Malachi and see why the silversmith would sit while working.
Are you in a refining fire? Are you in a season of waiting?
Waiting is just plain hard. Whether it is for a financial need, a healing, marital intervention, praying for Mr. or Mrs. Right, children on the wrong path, or salvation for your neighbor, it is difficult to let those prayers escape our lips and then sit back and trust God to do the work.
4 Things to do in a Season of Wait
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Pray. Yes, pray! The Bible says to pray about everything and worry about nothing! “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 CET. But it doesn’t end there, it gives you the result of your giving those needs to God and leaving them there! “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” If you do this, He will give you a peace that cannot be described!
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Share. Sometimes it is good to ask a friend to come alongside of us and believe together. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2. Your friend, and confidant, cannot change your season but they can be there for you and take your need to the throne. That is powerful.
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Keep Busy. Do not allow yourself to be so consumed with your wait that you can’t see anything else around you. Pour yourself into the life of another who is hurting, you will be amazed at how your own cares will pale in comparison when you are focused on someone other than YOU. And while you are busy caring for a stranger, friend or neighbor? Your season will change in God’s time!
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Remember what He has done in the past. This is huge. Every trial that has come your way has been used of God to make you strong and then you can be used to help someone else! So, while in your season of waiting, remind yourself of all the prayers He has answered, even the ones you attribute just to LIFE, and praise Him for what He has done…and what He is going to do!
Back to the silversmith…the lady gathered up her things to leave and when she got to the door she turned and asked, in famous Columbo style, “Oh, just one more thing….how do you know when the waiting process is complete?”
The silversmith replied, “That’s the easy part! When I can see my own image in the silver!”
God always has a bigger plan; we just can’t see it ahead of time. But in that waiting season He is purifying us, refining us and making us more like Him.
Hold on, this is just a season but one that is oh, so very important! Let God be God and purify you to reflect His image!
Thank you for sharing this post on “Waiting”! I am so impatient in so many ways and always want instant coffee. But during this season, I am seeing how God is allowing the coffee to just take its time to brew. As it’s brewing, the coffee gets stronger, bolder, and fresher. And that’s me right now! So the sorry about the silver was so on time! My husband left over a week ago and it has been the hardest thing for me. We haven’t been married a year and I didn’t understand. Now looking back on the time we were together, rethinking comments that were made from himself and I, I thought well God maybe his leaving was the only way to get our attention. I miss my husband and love him more in this season that I probably did the day we got married. I believe in marriage and that it was ordained by God, however somewhere along the lines we were like the Israelites and forgot that our covenant was not about us but him. So this waiting season for him to come back home is hard, but I had to tell myself that I was ok with the wait, because everything happens in Gods perfect timing. I want him home now but that can be dangerous pushing for something when God is still refining us both. I am praying like never before, eating and sleeping gods word and just understanding that the wait will be worth it! Thank you again for this platform. Found this Link on SRT this morning ! Blessings !
i have been waiting for 3 years now and of lately i have been trying not to focus on that fact. I think i am waiting for a breakthrough or something. I have been looking for work since college but i guess i was crazy to think that i would just bounce from college to a job with no problem. the hardest part is that i have keep looking for work and it feels like salt in the wound when i get no. I am not even sure of what kind of job i want now since my job field has changed so much, no search if i am suppose change directions, but one thing is for sure this is the most clueless, confusing time of my live ever. I just never feel so lost in my life and i don’t even know what i am supposed to be looking or watching for. one hand it feels like a seeking God time yet on the other the anticipation of being on high alert is this the next thing. it is like being on a car trip are we there yet….
Waiting is difficult. I can wait better than my husband. He hates to wait – but that is a story of its own. Waiting is sometimes very necessary and if we fail to wait patiently and get ahead of God, we may end up with an Ishmael instead of an Isaac. When we pray – we can begin to thank God for the Answer even though we don’t yet see it. Know that He is working on it, and we can praise Him for that. I love your list of four things to do while you wait. Pray, Share, keep busy and remind yourself of past blessings. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story..
I LOVE the story about the silversmith – how we’re not alone in the waiting and refining because God is there watching us closely. That brings me great comfort as I wait. Glad I found your site today through #RaRaLinkup and love your photo with The Sweetheart.
I am in a season of waiting and I am learning patience in this this season. Thank you for your ideas. Many are writing about waiting and even though I am not good at waiting, the lessons God teaches during this time are worth it. Advent blessings to you!
Amen, Jenn! Love your thought that sometimes He is present quickly but sometimes He is working on something that takes time…wow…and we can learn so much in the waiting! Merry Christmas!
Yes they are hard, Kathryn but staying God-focused is surely the key. Merry Christmas to you!
Great insight Ana. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year ♥
Yes it is, Carly! So happy to have you hear my SRT friend. ♥ Thank you so much for visiting.
Isn’t that a great story, Leah? Waiting is simply difficult but sometimes so necessary. His timing is not ours and His ways are not our own, I think that is probably a good thing. We had our house on the market for over a year with no luck whatsoever and then we were elected to pastor a particular church in another state and we sold it by owner the same weekend. His timing is everything. Praying for your perfect time and His perfect will! ♥
Waiting is so hard! But God is always working, as you said. He strengthens us and makes a testimony or stepping stone out of every trial if we allow Him to. Thank you so much for visiting. I’m anxious to read When God gives you enough… ♥
I love this! You’re fourth point is my favorite! We had a long season of waiting a few months ago, and remembering all of the ways that God had worked in our family in the past is what gave us hope and helped keep us from being discouraged. Thank you for sharing these wonderful thoughts!
Dear Nannette,
I so enjoyed the wise counsel and wonderful story of the silversmith.
I feel as if my entire life for the last half decade has been one season of wait after the other. I do see how this process is refining me but I keep thinking in the back of my mind “okay I get it now, can’t You just do it already?” We have attempted to move three times in the last five years, and our house has been on the market for nearly six months now.
Happy Weekend & Cheers!
your neighbor at FMF, Leah
Great post- I love the story about the silversmith and the advice for times of waiting. Waiting is hard but God can use it to teach us and to refine us even if we can’t see it at the time.
Keeping busy is so important to me. When you are being productive it seems to make that waiting period last so much longer and open you up to feeling depressed and lonely. I gotta keep busy!
These seasons of waiting are so hard, but love your list – just the things to keep focused on the road ahead and to pay attention to what you may learn in the waiting.
Sitting down. Love this! I’m going to remember to sit like the silversmith more often and wait. To see God is to wait sometimes. Sometimes he is present quickly and sometimes he is working to craft something for us that takes time! Cheers neighbor at FMF! Jenn