A Spectacle Of Glory #307

Read: Isaiah 48:10-11

In today’s Scripture, God says, “See, I have refined you . . . I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.”^a In ways beyond our comprehension, God has His own great name at stake in our suffering. In fact, the cosmic stakes are very high. The way we respond to suffering isn’t just for our spiritual benefit; God’s own good name is on the line. When God tests us in the furnace of affliction, He has in mind to make Himself look good through the way we respond and continue to trust Him. Now, realizing this won’t make the pain go away, but it will help us remember that our trials are never random and our pain is never arbitrary. The way we lean on God through the dark times will be told and retold when our lifetime on earth is only a distant memory.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Yes, Lord, I want Your name to be honored and blessed and celebrated—here on earth and among all the bright angels in heaven. Help me, please, to respond to You in trust and confidence, even on those days when I struggle to keep my head above water.