So this month I was asked to preach one Sunday, along with Kristen and Lauren. Kind of an intimidating request, but also an exciting one! I decided to just throw myself into it and let God speak through me. This is roughly what I said for my part (I really wish I had Lauren or Kristen's as well because they brought it and were so filled with the Spirit!):
It's interesting to see how God can use one thing so differently in the lives of individuals. Fire is one example of this. It can be used to protect and encourage new growth in an area; it can destroy and devastate when it rages out of control; and it can be fanned into a consuming flame, devouring everything in it's path. Fire breaks are one illustration of the first use of fire.
Fire breaks are used to protect areas from random, out of control fires. An small area is burned in order to protect a larger area. To people who are unaware of what fire breaks are, they may seem frightening, confusing or out of control. The night we first arrived here in Swaziland, we saw flames lighting up the mountain in the distance. Naturally (for us), we were a little confused and wondered what was going on. The concept of fire breaks was later explained to us. The people in control of the fire breaks see their purpose even when others don't. They carefully plan them out so that they will protect areas from crazy, out of control fires. Now for people who understand fire breaks, those small fires are more of a source of reassurance than fear. What seems out of control and chaotic, has actually been planned out by one who knows what he is doing. In this case, fire is being used to protect from greater tragedies and inspire new growth in an area that had become stagnant.
This can be applied to our own lives. Many times, we go through things that seem crazy and out of control. We experience hardships and wonder what the purpose behind our pain is or where God is in the midst of it all. These times can take shape in many ways-the death of a loved one, being betrayed by a friend, abuse, the end of a relationship, the death of a dream... No matter what form it takes, it hurts. But God uses these times in our lives in ways we do not understand at first, but are actually amazing! Look at Joseph's life! He was abused by his brothers and sold into slavery, forced into hard labor, sent to prison unjustly, and forgotten by his friends. I'm sure there were many times where he wondered at the reason behind his struggles. Yet God used all of these circumstances for His greater plan! Joseph was able to save his family from starvation during a famine and bring the nation of Israel into a place where God would accomplish even more through them (using more "fiery" times)! How amazing is God?!
We WILL experience hardships and pain but they do not have to overwhelm us because we know that God is with us and He has a greater plan! What hardship will we endure that He has not first overcome? His friends died; His disciples denied him and one betrayed Him over to death; He suffered temptations; He was beaten and insulted and abused; He was brutally killed... Yet all of those things brought about our salvation! They accomplished the plans of God!
Hebrews 12:11 says "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." And James 1:2-4 tells us to "Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God uses our sufferings and hardships to grow us into the men and women He desires us to be. We just have to endure the flames until the healing begins.
Many times, Christ heals us in the aftermath of destruction. C.S. Lewis said that, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, but shouts to us in our pains." That is so true! We grow so much more when we are stripped down to nothing and forced to rely completely on God because everything else has been taken away. Sometimes He has to wound us further in order to truly heal us. He will enable us to serve Him in even greater ways after we have come through the fire. We may be a bit burned and battered, but this is how we are equipped to accomplish our best work through Christ. If we do not experience certain hardships in our lives then we may never be able to fulfill the awesome purpose God has for us! He uses our deepest hurts to awaken a passion in our hearts that He will use to help us truly impact others.
Many times our most intense wounds and secret pains become the source from which we draw our strength. They make our hearts come alive. Maybe you will meet someone who has been through what you have been through and you will be able to help them in a way no one else can. God may use you to council victims of abuse or help someone to find their true passion or discover that Jesus is constant even when everything around them has fallen away. Whatever plan He has for you, it will be amazing if you allow yourself to see that He has a purpose behind the flames of pain in your life!
Lauren then spoke about how sin can consume our lives and a small spark can destroy an entire forest if we are not careful but the saving grace of the gospel can restore what has been burned. Kristen gave an awesome illustration of the Holy Spirit as an all-consuming fire.
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