Iron Ore or Steel

Scripture:
James 1:12-16

Iron must be refined before it can be used.  Steel is iron refined to its purist form.  There are several steps in the process.  Through several trips in the furnace at extreme temperatures the impurities in iron ore are eventually removed forming steel.

As Christians we are filled with impurities of sin and self along with other things from the world.  Satan does everything he can to keep us in raw form.  Much like iron ore in this form we are limited in what we can do for God.  It is through the refining process that we become strong and pure.  God doesn’t tempt us or purposely put us into temptation.  But God will bring us through the fire cleaner and more pure.  God will forge us into the Christians that we are meant to be if we allow him to purify us.

As we go through hardships and trails we can rely on God and in the end become stronger Christians in our faith.  Either that or we can grow bitter and even angry with God.  We would then become like pig iron, very hard but brittle.  Pig iron is nearly useless and has to continue through the refining process.  On the other hand if we allow God to continue to work in us He will continue the refining process until we are strong in faith.  Pig iron once it has the impurities smelted out becomes steel.

If we are not careful as steel will rust if left bare to the elements we can lose our strength.  We can become brittle once again if we do not continuously build upon our faith.  We cannot remain stagnant doing nothing.  Faith is like any other muscle, it must be used in order to grow strong.  The refining process for us is a life long journey.  We will become 100% clean and pure once we reach heaven in our new bodies in our new lives.  The choice is yours.  You can remain in a state much like the ore unrefined.  You can allow God to work in your life building you up and helping you grow.  Do you want to become like the steel or remain like the ore?