Burning to Shine

It seems to me that when we suffer, we often look just at ourselves. It is our default. We wonder:

How will God work this together for my good?

What sin in me is He trying to pull out by the roots through this trial?

How can I grow and learn in this?

Will I grow stronger or will I crumble all to pieces?


And I think it is good to ask these things. But throughout these past couple of years (most especially after reading Dark Threads the Weaver Needs by Herbert Lockyer), I wonder if we don't ask enough:

How can I look through this window of my pain in order to see more clearly my friend's pain? (to borrow Lockyer's thoughts)

How can I walk faithfully through this so that others may look at me and say, "Who is her God"?

In what ways could I live out 2 Corinthians 1:4 to comfort others with the comfort I have received?

What are the gifts in this pain? Gifts that I can pass on to other hurting people?


And this morning, Streams in the Desert has this to say:
"We cannot be of great use to others without cost to ourselves...if we are patient and submissive, it is almost certain that we are a greater blessing to the world in our time of suffering and pain than we were in the days when we thought we were doing the most of our work. We are burning now, and shining because we are burning."

May we faithfully burn when we come to the fire! In order that we may shine!