The Grace of Refinement

“God will take you where you would not have chosen to go

in order to produce in you what you could not achieve on your own. 

The Bible calls this grace.“

–Paul David Tripp

Yes, Yes, Yes!  Grace.  I've been given so much!  So much of what I would NEVER have chosen and yet it has been God's refining fire in my life and has led to so much more than I could have EVER asked or imagined.  

Pondering these other thoughts from (one of my favorite pastors) Paul David Tripp:

Sometimes we are crying out, “Where is the grace of God?” …but we are already getting it!

We need the grace of refinement, rather than the grace of relief. 

Uncomfortable grace. 

Often this side of eternity the grace of God comes to us in uncomfortable forms – exactly the grace that we need. 

Don’t name the difficulties as a sign of his inattention and unfaithfulness,

they are actually a sign of a seal of his redemptive love.  

His redemptive love.  Yes!   When I name it rightly, I am able to give thanks for the grace rather than to complain about the pain.  

Want to give thanks with me today?