Dancing through life's fire

Snow and Texas do not go hand and hand; better yet, it barely happens. As a result, when we experienced the arctic freeze, we realized we were not prepared to endure such temperatures and conditions. Being out of power for days, some without water, and the concern of losing all the food stored in the refrigerator really would make you cave in into your thoughts and emotions of doubt, fear, and anxiety. Or you see how spoiled we are as well as how much we cling to comfort. However, in times like this, your flesh can flare-up, or this is an opportunity to exercise your faith.

During the freeze one very late night, I was sitting by the fireplace, enjoying a cup of tea, I begin to pray; throughout my prayer, I glimpse into the fireplace; my eyes could see a silhouette, but I thought I was mistaken, so I open my eyes, and yes there it was a silhouette, a woman silhouette dancing on the fire. At first, I was surprised; however, it seems like I was drawn by the image, so I kept watching, and boom, I felt a heaviness in my heart that all I could mouth out was thank you, Jesus. I know for some of you, this might sound like a made-up movie, but I knew it was the holy spirit moving my heart to see what God was saying. God showed me to dance and praise HIM amid all the uncertainties, unfairness, unbearable circumstances, and uncomfortable situations. In our life, we are going to deal with life furnaces is not always pretty or comfortable. But then you are not alone in the furnace of great affliction Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. There will be times in life where we have to get through fires. We will encounter situations that frighten us and test us. But when we have Jesus, we do not have to be afraid! We can walk through the Fire, and we won’t be burnt; we can dance through any fire we face because we have Jesus! It is an enormous comfort! We can be assured that through the hills and the valleys, the good times and the bad times, God will hold us so that we will never be there on our own. Just like the three men thrown in the blazing furnace (Daniel 3), Jesus was in the midst of these men as HE is in your midst while you feel tied up in illness, difficulties, relationship conflicts, finances, and trials.

My family was facing many challenges, from water bursting to water damage, but we chose to trust our Jehovah Jireh. There were setbacks, but there were blessings too. He provided exactly what we needed. HE gave our family the peace of knowing that He is with us, no matter what. It made my children see this experience as the best camping ever. It made us cherish what matters. Remind us we will overcome. I do not know the fires you have been through, but I do know Jesus is in the midst. Jesus is in your midst while you experience intense heat. Dance with Jesus in the blazing flames, and you will come out of the furnace unscathed.  I realize that some fires are not easy to endure, and no one wants to feel such intense heat but instead of saying I do not like this, Lord. This is too much. I encourage you to shout because you have helped me before; I cannot wait to find out how you are getting me out of this. I cannot wait to claim victory throughout this. God is with us and throughout in our fiery furnaces, and like we did, we can dance and sing, knowing that God will get us through it, no matter the outcome. For me, a result is a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). This is not easy, but the more I trust, the easier it gets.

The same fireplace I told my husband to get rid of few days prior, it’s the same fireplace God use for me to see that it had a purpose and value. When I said it does not add value to our family, it kept us warm throughout the cold nights; when I said it had no purpose, its main objective was to provide comfort for our family to sleep. Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. If you can make the courageous choice to dance in the presence of the greatest King. Jesus will show up in your Fire! There is nothing to fear with our amazing God. He will find purpose, value, and all of it will be used for His glory. The Fire may simply be the life experience that will free you from the things of this world that used to bind you. Praise is the key to get through the Fire at every moment in history and not even smell like smoke.

No matter what kind of “fire” life throws at us, the joy of The Lord will be our strength! Never ever forget that God is right there with you, protecting you and shielding you! He is our refuge, and He always fights for us because He has amazing plans for our lives, better than we could ever imagine! Jesus has defeated our sins, once and for all, and is with us… always! It is because of Jesus that we can dance through the fire!

So yes, this Chica (gal) has been through fires; it has not been easy, but this woman can live to tell the tale. She lives fiercely, beautifully, with God’s sovereignty, power, and grace.  Her story is not over yet, and neither is yours. Give God the glory, even when the circumstances you’re in would cause those who only ‘walk by sight’ to fret, to feel dry-mouthed fear and heart-pounding panic. Dance do not doubt!  Let us dance through the fires of life with the assurance of God’s love and protection!  Keep this in your heart, no matter whether God kept you from the Fire or made you fireproof. It is not about God putting out our fires but who is in there with you. My sweet sister, will you be brave and faithful enough to worship in the Fire?  

Life is worth rejoicing!

Prayer

Father, I thank you that you are always with us, our ever-present help in trouble. We will encounter difficulties in this life but help us to trust you to get through the fires. You are on our side, protecting us from all that seeks to harm us. Thank you for your love and that nothing will ever separate us from it! Thank you, Lord,

Scripture

Psalm 46:7, Romans 8:28, Nehemiah 8;10 Isaiah 43:2 Philippians 4:7, Psalm 46: 1, I Thessalonians 5;18 Romans 8:38

 Reflect

Do you dance or sing when you are in a challenging situation? What do you tend to doubt, fear, complaint when you find yourself in life’s fiery furnaces? How did Jesus get you through those in the past? How might God help (or is helping) with a fiery furnace today