Thrive, don't just survive...

I was going through some of my one-liners and found this quote:

“Circumstances and crises are God’s tools to

move you into your purpose and the maximizing of your potential.” - Myles Munroe

Hard as it may be to accept this, the Bible confirms this truth in more than one place:

These troubles [trials; testings] come to prove that your faith is pure [to test and prove the authenticity of your faith; a test that proves the genuineness of a valuable metal]. This purity of faith [or tested and proven authenticity] is worth more [more precious; more valuable] than gold, which can be proved to be pure [tested and proven authentic] by fire [Ps. 66:10; Prov. 17:3; 27:21; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:3] but can [or will] be destroyed. But the purity [tested and proven authenticity] of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you [at the revelation of Jesus Christ]. (1 Peter 1:7 - EXB)

Psalm 66: 10 - 12 -  For You have tested us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. ¹¹ You brought us into the net; You laid a heavy burden [of servitude] on us. ¹² You made men (charioteers) ride over our heads [in defeat]; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a [broad] place of abundance [to be refreshed]. (AMP)

Job even confidently said: "Surely he knows my way; when he tests me, I will emerge as gold.*

Malachi 3:3 - He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.  (NLT)

Ultimately, the refining is for our good and all for His glory.

As I pondered on this post, the Lord reminded me about gold and diamonds. The point He brought to my attention was that if those of us who have/wear diamond-studded gold or silver rings or other piece of jewelry only know how much "crises" the precious stone and metal went through to be worthy or us wearing it, we'd better appreciate what God is doing in and with us as He stays beside** us in various circumstances and crises of life.  

There is no need to idolize your ring or other jewelry but let it be a reminder and almost your point of motivation - if an innate object could go through various circumstances and crises and fulfill it's potential, you can too.

Remember that "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. "***

When we survive circumstances, we are conquerors...it's thriving IN them, that make us #MoreThanConquerors.

References:

* Job 23:10 - CEB

** Isaiah 43:2 - When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;the flames will not consume you. (NLT)

*** Romans 8:37 - AMP - emphasis mine