God uses furnace-like circumstances to reshape us, our thinking, our attitudes, our priorities, and our direction. A furnace is a place from which one cannot escape. It is a set of circumstances we find ourselves in, which are completely out of our control, and where the only help is an appeal to God. Psalm 121:1,2 asks the question: ‘Where does my help come from?’ It is also a trumpet call from God to draw closer to Him, and to pay attention. Furnaces are very uncomfortable because they are designed to clear us of impurities, and have the single purpose of reshaping us. They should not be treated casually because God will keep up the heat, and even sometimes raise it until He is satisfied that we get the message and are prepared to do something about it.
Deuteronomy 4:20 refers to Egypt being the iron furnace from which God removed His people.
Isaiah 48:10 refers to being refined and tested, not as silver, in the furnace of affliction.
The furnace process is designed for refining and removing impurities. Very often these impurities are invisible to us; they exist in a blind spot. God creates (allows) the circumstance and the environment, but it is up to us to take appropriate remedial action. Nobody else can do that for us. There is no external remedy which comes to the rescue. This is a matter between our inner self and God. Often it is a war between our flesh and our conscience. There is no reference book to guide us, just as there are no shortcuts. The season must play itself out and there is no time frame. A furnace creates a compelling environment for us to introspect, and is God’s mechanism to change us, to make us more flexible and malleable, and to be obedient. This also called surrender. There is no shame in it, because we are surrendering to God Almighty Himself, the creator of heaven and earth, of the universe, far beyond our comprehension. God corrects us but never shames us. A wonderful by-product of surrender is freedom.
The beauty of the furnace is that it is orchestrated by God. It is designed to improve us, strengthen us, build our faith, and renew our hope. The imperative is to recognise as soon as possible that it is God’s way to correct, discipline and disciple us. From day one, our Christian walk is one of discipleship. Proverbs 3:11,12 makes it very clear. We are not to despise the chastening of the Lord, because the Lord corrects those whom He loves. It is an act of love so that we may have an improved future. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God wants peace and not evil for us ‘to give us a future and a hope’.
The other mechanism God uses to guide us through life is fire. It is different from a furnace in several ways. Firstly because it is not as hot, and secondly because it is generally one-dimensional. Whereas a furnace is pressure from every side, and is meant for radical change, a Godly fire is pressure from a single area of life. Whereas a furnace is meant for major reshaping, a fire is more for polishing and reminding. There are obviously different fires, big, small, hot or not so hot.
People who have known me only this millennium, and have seen me experience the radical treatment of radiation and chemotherapy which I underwent to treat a stage 4 cancer tumour in my throat area, assume that it was my life-defining furnace season. They assume that this is my primary testimony seeing that it took place 10 years ago and that I am cured. It was a major event, for sure, and received my full attention. During the treatment I lost 19kgs over three months, from an already very lean and trim cyclist. At the time, most people thought I was on my way out. Despite the terrible side effects, the inability to eat or drink properly, and the consequential weight loss, it was not the worst period of my life. The circumstances leading up to the diagnosis, as well as the potential cure-rate, left me certain that it was not terminal. So, although it looked to the outside world that I was dying, my spirit was being renewed, as the other areas of my life were more or less in order. When I was diagnosed, I asked myself only two questions:
1. Am I man enough to endure the program to the end? and
2. What is God’s message in the event?
It was a life-and -death fight, but I knew life would win, because God had shown me. There was a bright light at the end of the tunnel, and plenty of living time to look forward to. I knew that this was a bugle call from God. I kept a journal of what I thought the Lord was saying. I grew closer to the Lord because I knew that He was speaking to me. Of course I give Him all the glory for curing me. It was a hot fire but not a furnace. I recovered fully and continued to live a very active life.
More recently, I underwent surgery for a total knee replacement. To say the least, I was totally unprepared for the level of pain I experienced afterwards. Perhaps I had underestimated the severity, or that I did not take my age into consideration, or perhaps I did not realise that I presented the surgeon with a knee in very poor condition, which would complicate the surgery and the preparation work before inserting the prostheses. Or perhaps the radiation and chemo treatment, however successful, had altered my physiology and slowed down my recovery rate. It was a bit of each with a dash of arrogance, because I had been led to believe that, like Obelix who fell into a cauldron of magic potion for supernatural strength, I had been blessed with some sort of eternal youth. I thought that my physiological age was at least 10 years less than my biological age. False assumption. The ageing process affects everyone regardless of external appearances.
Despite the extreme level of pain, this episode was a fire and not a furnace. Although crippled physically, and sluggish mentally because of all the medication, it was not pressure from every side and there was a defined timeline after which life would resume normally, or be even better than before. Once again, it was not a season which would force radical life changes, with an unknown future. It was a call from God to pay attention, and provided an opportunity to hear from Him. It is a reminder and a polishing, so it is important not to miss the lesson.
A furnace is more than a fire. It is designed to generate high and concentrated temperatures which other fires cannot. Furnaces are controlled heat chambers, designed specifically to reach pre-determined temperatures for specific purposes, like melting glass, smelting metals or firing ceramics. In a metaphoric or spiritual context, it is a circumstance, or set of circumstances which God uses to bring about radical change in people’s lives and to build faith.
The important part of both processes is to recognise them as growth opportunities. Not everybody is afforded the privilege of strong fire experiences, and furnace experiences are rarer still. Alas, many people who are faced with a furnace experience become overwhelmed, and never recover. It remains a choice whether to grow through it, or to carry it as a burden for the rest of time. I remember clearly the fork in the road. One way was to try to deal with the pressure in my own strength, and the other way was to seek God’s help. I made the good choice, and although the restoration took a long time, God made a way as His Word promises.
The Furnace and the Fire 2 describes and explains furnace experiences.
The Disease of Arrogance is a personal account of my furnace season.
As in every one of my articles, I write only from lived personal experience, for the glory of God. I make use of several Bible versions, as well as many reference books from a wide variety of Godly and reliable sources.
I thank The Lord for the privilege of His discipleship in my life.
I do not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished in me, as an instrument for His glory, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, and in so doing, bear some fruit.
God bless every one of you, as you live and learn.
Please refer to The Salvation Prayer on the website if you want a direct connection with the creator of the universe, and are seeking love and peace of mind, for now and for eternity.
