Trial by the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10-11) - and goodbye for now.

"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tried you in the furnace of affliction." - Isaiah 48:10

Why does he have to try us? Why through affliction? So often my prayers are "Lord make me humble, but please be nice," or "God I want to understand thanksgiving, but not by having things taken away from me," or "I want to be a man more in love with you, but I fear how you'll bring me there."

There is almost this slight mistrust on my part because I fear of how the Lord will do it. I fear His trial by fire. Trial by affliction.

But he does it for his sake:

"For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,
for how should my name be profaned?
My glory I will not give to another." - Isaiah 48:11

Because we take His glory. As you know, I'm about to get on an airplane... in about 18 hours (or so). I'm stressed out. But I also know that if everything went well and I felt in control through the whole trip, then I would look back and say "I did pretty good. I brought us all the way here."

I almost think the Lord brings me adversity in traveling because it is the one thing of which I am unable to relinquish control. I want to trust God with it, but I don't. I want to bring the Lord glory.

So when I get there. I'll try to post something, and thank the Lord for how he brought me safely where I'm going.

That said, I may post once more tonight (I may not), but then I might not have internet access for several days, so if I'm out - well... sorry. But I'll be back.

Life has to return to some normalcy which has been gone for some time. So goodbye for now. I'll see you again shortly.