This is one of my favorite messages/videos. What this women has to say is so powerful, and so true. It doesnt matter if you are going or have gone through something as hard as her or something small and minor. All trials are hard. No matter the degree. They test us. They break us. They build us. She offers a really great quote in the video, "The greater our sorrow is, the greater our capacity is to feel joy."
To me, the refiners fire burns you, melts you, it breaks you down. It is hurtful, and painful. But through our savior Jesus Christ, and only though him, can we be shaped, mended, worked, fixed...into the person, and the spirt, who he so badly want us to become. I love this analogy. It is a perfect representation of the hard times in our lives that we will face, in the moments that we will feel so broken, so useless, so far from happy and loved, and if we choose not to turn to our Father in heaven with a humble heart, asking for help, we will stay in that state of misery and sorrow forever. BUT, if we give our heart to the Savior, having faith in him and that through the atonement we can be healed and helped through our trials and tribulations...we will be formed, by the refiner, Christ, into who he wants us to become.
In a talk by Elder James E. Faust, titled The Refiners Fire, he said "Here then is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd.
Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process.
In our extremities, it is possible to become born again, born anew, renewed in heart and spirit. We no longer ride with the flow of the crowd, but instead we enjoy the promise of Isaiah to be renewed in our strength and “mount up with wings as eagles” (Isa. 40:31).
The proving of one’s faith goes before the witnessing, for Moroni testified, “Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6). This trial of faith can become a priceless experience. Stated Peter, “That 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” (1 Pet. 1:7)."
Autumn,
ReplyDeleteThank You for the updates on Britton in your beautiful words. You are an inspiration as you and your family go through this Refiners Fire with Britton. I am amazed at your spiritual strength at such a young age. God Bless you for your optimism in the face of adversity. It is refreshing and gives us all hope and strengthens your hope as well I am sure. Santa Clara has wrapped their arms around your family in a wonderful way. I am so proud to be from there. We Were in your ward/neighborhood in 1997-1999. I remember when Britton was born. Funny to see your posts, Your parents have called you Autty forever;) I babysat your neighbor at the time Jordan Larson, If you remember her. You and Jordan used to play out front of your house and us Mom's would sit and chat the afternoon away. By the Pictures, your family has moved since then. We have a son that was born just before we moved and just tuned 16 Nov. 8th. I am reminded daily that our family could be in this same boat. We Pray for you, Britton and your family every night. You and your parents may not remember us, But know that you are in our prayers and thoughts. WE Believe 4 Britton. I have two siblings that have at different times been life flighted from St George to U of U hospital with Injuries. I know the stress and anxiety that comes with hospital life, the ups and downs of recovery, and having your life turned upside down in a second. My little sister is paralyzed from the waist down, she was 15 snow tubing on Cedar Mountain when she broke her back and like Britton was unconscious with friends on a cold mountain side with strangers who gave her a priesthood blessing and did all things right in not moving her and waiting for the ambulance to reach her. We feel lucky to have her with us as well. Our house was never the same and had to be modified by the good people of St George to accommodate her wheelchair. I became MOM at 20 years old to 5 other siblings as my parents were in Salt lake with my sister for 4 months. A few years later My little Brother broke his neck diving at Havasupai Falls with the scouts. He was life flighted to Uof U also and I remember Crying and Praying so hard to God to Not let us repeat my sisters accident!! It was so devastatingly hard...one of the worst nights of my life. Worrying for my brother and my parents. He came out of surgery fine with no paralysis. We were all so grateful. Life goes on...we adapt. My Brother is a Medical student just starting Residency. My Sister is Married to a handsome and strong Military man that can carry her, a wheel chair and 3 kids all at the same time!! Toss them into his truck and away they go as a family. I wanted you to know you are not alone. We feel for you and are with you and I know that no matter how life unfolds, God and Christ Carry us when our rode is too hard. May God Bless and Keep your family. Keep up this wonderful Blog.
Love,
The Olsen Family
Heidi, William, Keaton, Sydnie, Blake, Quaid
Payson, Ut
We attended a stake conference yesterday. Our stake president talked about this very thing. He said that once the refiner begins the process, he cannot leave because the process is very hard. It's easy to let the fire get too hot or not hot enough, and the metal doesn't get refined. In your case, the refiner is Jesus Christ, and he cannot leave your side. He is with you at all times. May the Lord bless and strengthen your family to withstand the fire to become refined.
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