Times Like These...

     Life for me lately is full of trials; at least, I'm more aware of the trials in my life.  I am not complaining about them, for I know that God uses trials to refine.  I am thankful that He is refining me, for I surely need it.
     Of late I have noticed that He is purging from within me some deep-rooted sins.  I see Him purging bitterness, anger, discontentment, selfishness, and much more.  Those are just a few of which I can think off the top of my head.
     Thankfully, He is providing me with the grace I need to purge gracefully.  I have seen others, and done so myself, be purged not-so-gracefully; it can be similar to the child you see in a grocery store that is whining or throwing a tantrum while being corrected by the parent(s).  I am so glad that God is enabling me to not be that kind of child to Him!
     I know that once I am through these trials, I will better see some of His reasons for doing so.  Obviously, some of the reasons are to remove sin from my life.  Other things He is doing in my life are yet to be understood.  Yet, He is faithful and I can trust Him to be good to me.  :)
     I have noticed that I am not the only one going through some intense trials.  I know many of mine are inward, though they do affect the outward.  I know many folks are enduring trials of persecution, like the pastor in Iran.  However, I have noticed many are enduring trials of an inward nature.  I am comforted knowing I am not alone in these times of refinement.
     Some Scripture that keeps coming to mind are these:

Psalm 51:1-17

¹Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

   ²Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

   ³For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

   ⁴Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

   ⁵Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

   ⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

   ⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

   ⁸Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

   ⁹Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

   ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

   ¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

   ¹²Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

   ¹³Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

   ¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

   ¹⁵O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

   ¹⁶For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

   ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

1 Peter 1

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

   ²Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

   ³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

   ⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

   ⁵Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

   ⁶Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

   ⁷That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

   ⁸Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

   ⁹Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

   ¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

   ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

   ¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

   ¹³Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

   ¹⁴As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

   ¹⁵But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

   ¹⁶Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

   ¹⁷And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

   ¹⁸Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

   ¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

   ²⁰Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

   ²¹Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

   ²²Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

   ²³Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

   ²⁴For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

   ²⁵But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

     I am thankful that I can always go to the Word of my Heavenly Father and Saviour and find such great comfort such as these words are!  I pray that they are a comfort to you as well, dear sisters in Christ, who are struggling as well as I.  Know that I think of you and pray for you!