Refining Silver and Gold
The silversmith and the goldsmith start their work with impure silver and gold ore. Through the refining process they extract and mold the pure gold and silver by removing all of the impurities in the ore. This process involves fire and the close attention of the smith. The smith puts the ore in the fire to burn out some of the impurities, then takes it out and shapes it, then back in the fire. All the while he keeps a close eye on his precious metal.
The goal of the silversmith or goldsmith is to fashion a precious metal until it is pure and shines bright. He heats and works with his metal until he can see his reflection in it. One can only imagine how the silver or gold feels about this arduous process. (I know, silver and gold can’t feel, but just bear with me on this one.)
Psalm 66:10 says, “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” Just as the silversmith refines his precious metal in the fire, God refines his precious children in the adversities of life. He does this for the same purpose as the smith puts his ore in the fire – to remove any impurities and so that we will shine brightly and reflect His image. While we are in the “fire” He never takes His eyes off us, but keeps a close watch to determine when we’ve had all we can take for now. Better than the smith with his metal, God is with us in the fire as we are being refined.
God has said, “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.'” Zechariah 13:9.
Are you in the fire today? If so, do you have a better idea now how the gold and silver might feel about the refining process? It can often seem unfair and hopeless. But don’t forget that God is keeping His eye on you and using this time to make you more like Jesus so that He may see His reflection in you. Keep your focus on the goldsmith and not on the fire, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6.
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Your analogy and insight is still benefitting readers (like me) years after God led you to write it! Thank you for these wise and encouraging words.
Thank you! That is so encouraging.
Well written encouraging word. Thanks for sharing. You’ve been a blessing today.
You are welcome. I love that God continues to use this post written quite some time ago to bless others.
Thanks for being a blessing.
I stumbled on this article while searching on how Girl and silver is refined.
I appreciate the fact that you focused on our refiner (God) more then us the unrefined ones❤️
God bless you ma’am
Thank you. I’m glad this post blessed you.
Thanks, Linda for this sure word of encouragement. Purging can be so painful, one would feel abandoned and forsaken. But its all in His plan! Thank you one more time.
I’m glad you were encouraged by these words.
good analogy !
Like King David said; “God’s word is pure, His way is perfect and His word has been proven”
Just like silver, that has been tried in the furnace of the earth!
The Holy Word….. the living word…… the Bible.
It has been given to us!
Thank you Lord………for Your inspired written word!
Psalms 12:6
Psalms 18:30
Linda,
Your illistration, it was exactly what I was searching for!
Thanks……
Thanks. I’m glad you found it helpful. God bless you.
Thank you so much for posting this. God spoke through you to reassure me what I’m going through. God bless and thank you very much!
Thank you for letting me know. I’m am always blessed when something I wrote years ago helps someone today.
Still a fantastic word many years later after you writing it Linda!!
God is good, and leads us so well as a perfect father, always teaching and training as as His sons and daughters.
God bless – and keep storing this gift God has given you to write, and even preach 🙏🏻💥🔥
Thank you. I’ve been so blessed by the gift of writing that God has given me, especially when I know what I’ve written has blessed others.
Nicely written. I was going to write a similar blog to my friends when I stumbled upon your post and thought this is exactly what I was going to cover. So, I forwarded your post including your name for proper credit to you. Keep up the good work. Unless you have an objection I will possibly forward other writings with proper credit given to you of course.
Amen
Just what I needed.
I’m so glad. 🙂 Peace, Linda
Great post! We find ourselves in a place of refining. The scripture came in on one of our daily devotionals this morning. I have read about the process in the past but wanted to re-read it since we are going through some difficulties right now. My search brought me to you post which has been an encouragement in our current situation…thanks and God bless!
Mark, I am so glad God led you here for encouragement in your current situation – a perfect example of the goldsmith keeping His eye on you while you are in the fire. Peace, Linda
After rising this morning, reading God’s word before the usual distractions came forth, brought me to where I left off in this reading through work. Completing a few chapters led me to Zech. 13-9. Deciding to study out “refined as silver; try them as gold,” I goggled my way to this truth article. Enjoyed! God is AWSOME
Tim, I’m so glad God, through Google, led you here and that this post was a blessing to you. God is Awesome, indeed! Peace, Linda
I love the part about keeping your eye on the goldsmith, not the fire. That is so true. He knows what He is doing, and I do not! Great lesson!
Ben, Thanks. It is also comforting to know that He never takes His eye off of us when we are in the fire. Peace, Linda
Whatever it costs, whatever it takes, may we be vessels useful and pleasing to our Saviour.
James1
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Matthew, Thanks for coming back. It’s nice to have made a connection with another blogger who wants to be all that God wants for us to be. I love the James passage. Actually, I like all of James. It’s a wonderfully convicting book. Peace to you.
I think it’s gonna take a lot more fire, and a lot more time before he sees His face in my w/o blemish! Thank God he knows when I’ve had enough for one sitting.
Amen to that!
WOW! You’re speaking to ME!! No doubt in my mind lol. I am definitely going through that refinement process, especially in my mind. The attitudes and beliefs I had pertaining to business, He is burning it up! I’m now understanding how to have balance and understand Kingdom business principles! Thanks for sharing…