Sometimes God Disturbs Us to Refine Us

“We all have a natural pride related to our flesh and our ego.”

I believe that God’s work in our lives is generally a process rather than an event. We do have events that impact us but some of His work is a slow process that requires our cooperation. I want to make you aware of one of His ways that is not always pleasant.

In Jeremiah 48:11 God says: “Moab has been at ease since his youth; He has also been undisturbed, like wine on its dregs, And he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into exile. Therefore, he retains his flavor, And his aroma has not changed.”

Like all of us at times, Moab was at ease. He was coasting and satisfied with himself. While we would like to think that we age well like fine wine, in Bible times wine became fine as it was poured from vessel to vessel.  Each time it is poured out and emptied, sediment and impurity stay in the bottom of the previous vessel.

Moab however was undisturbed, so he retained the same flavor and odor. We could say he was the same stinking person he was when he was young. So God promised to refine him.

12 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter his jars.”

God is a master at arranging for us to be tipped over & emptied at times. We must be aware of this process so we can embrace the dealings of God. Each time I went through a difficult time, the trial was followed by increased fruitfulness. You can call it, being broken, being pruned, or being refined. Whatever you call it, it’s never easy. Our flesh is not able to release the Holy Spirit until it is dealt with.  One book I read over and over when I was young was “The Release of the Spirit” by Watchman Nee. It focuses on the value of God dealing with us internally. God looks at the heart.

Verses 26 and 29 reveal Moab’s biggest problem,

“He has become arrogant toward the Lord

We have heard of his pride – he is very proud.

Of his haughtiness, his pride and arrogance and his self-exaltation.”

We all have a natural pride related to our flesh and our ego. You have heard it said that “God loves us the way we are, yet he loves us too much to leave us the way we are.” It’s good that the prophet Jeremiah also quoted God saying, “I know the plans for you, for your welfare and not calamity.” God is always for us, even when he leads us through a time of refining. So we should never doubt his intentions or His love toward us but know that He disciplines us for our own good and that the outcome will be righteousness and peace in the Holy Spirit.