Daily Devotional for March 1, 2019
Refining Fire
The TV screen glowed with a massive forest fire. “Wow. That’s a huge fire,” Adam said as he walked into the living room where Dad was watching the news. “Where is it?”
“It’s in the forest where we hiked last month,” Dad said. “They said lightning struck some trees during a thunderstorm yesterday.”
“I love that place,” Adam said. “Will firefighters get it out soon?”
“Park rangers and firefighters are working to keep it from spreading to buildings and nearby communities. But in remote forest areas like this, they often let a fire burn. They watch it on the ground or from planes.”
“Why don’t they put it all out?” Adam asked.
“I know it seems destructive, but a fire can actually help a forest,” Dad said.
“How can fire help if it burns everything up?”
“Because in a forest fire, more than standing trees burn. Old leaves, dry pine needles, dead wood from fallen trees and branches, and other ground vegetation gets burned up. With the forest canopy open, sunlight can reach the forest floor, and eventually regrowth begins.” Dad pointed to the TV screen. “And remember that what we see burning on television is just one part of the forest. There are more parts of the forest not burning.”
“So, you’re saying that the death of an old forest brings the birth of a new forest,” Adam said.
“That’s a good way to put it,” said Dad.
“It’s like the verses in the Bible about how fire refines silver and gold to purify them and make them better,” Adam said. “Fire can also make a forest better.”
“That’s a good observation, Adam. Sometimes we see things that happen as bad or destructive. But God can bring good out of any situation. He often uses difficult things that happen in our lives to help us grow and make us more like Jesus. We can’t always see how, but we can remember that His plans for us are perfect and that He promises to be with us when we face tough situations.”
The news story ended, and Dad turned off the TV.
“Dad, can we go back and hike those trails again after the fire?” Adam asked.
Dad smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.” – Lynda Boucher
How about you?
Are you facing a difficult situation right now? It’s hard to understand why God allows bad things to happen, but remember that He can use any situation for good. If you know Jesus, He has saved you and given you eternal life, and He will use the difficulties in your life to refine you and make you more like Him. Trust Him to be with you when bad things happen and use them for good.
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