Today’s post was inspired by a recent sermon entitled “Separated For The Better” by Joel Osteen, Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX.
When we are facing difficulties, remember God is working on our behalf
He separates our dysfunctional parts, winnowing our “good grain” from our “chaff”
The threshing floor is meant to refine us, it’s not meant to be a permanent place
Stay in peace in the fire of affliction, the threshing floor refines our faith
In affliction, we’d prefer God to change our situation
Yet, God wants the situation to change us
The threshing floor leads us to the fullness of our destiny
And onto the path of the righteous
There are times we need to be stripped of our weakness
Rid of our insufficiency and lack
This separation is part of God’s preparation
Not usually seen…until looking back
The Lord refines and prunes us to bear “good fruit”
But he will never cut us back out of season
We are refined to shine and pruned to bloom
The Threshing Floor has no other reason
Psalm 1:1-6 (NIV)
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.