Many things come to mind when one thinks of fire. It takes on so many meanings: literal, metaphorical, and spiritual. It can be alarming…dangerous…frightening…or it can be a symbol of strength… power…or even calm. It is the epitome of “extreme”….used to emphasize the most dramatic scenarios.
However, there is more to a flame than ash and smoke.
- The Literal: It is easy to understand that fire burns…it destroys…it leaves scorched remnants in its wake. Charred outlines left behind…a reminder of what was…of what could have been, and most times irreversible. It can take life or ruin it. It can spread quickly without hesitation and is fed by the very air we breathe.
- The Metaphorical: Fire is also used to define love and passion. It is the candlelight in a dim room…casting shadows on the walls of a peaceful retreat. It is the glow in the window…welcoming loved ones home. It is the warmth of the fireplace on a cold night. It is the bonfire that friends gather around to fellowship. It is the light when we are trapped in darkness.
- The Spiritual: God has been teaching me a great deal about fire lately. The good and the bad. The harm and the healing. I will do my best to share what I received. We are all tested by fire. Every one of us has our own to face. This is usually seen in one of three ways…
A Consuming Fire: God uses a consuming fire to burn away things that harm or prevent you from being the person He wants you to be. He goes ahead of us and eliminates our enemies. He is also a jealous God that expects us to trust in Him alone. Man can begin to idolize things of the world, but God wants us to seek Him at all times. When we trust Him, He will destroy all that is unholy and vanquish any evil that seeks to do us harm.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2
“But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.”
Psalm 37:20
A Refining Fire: Since the garden of Eden, mankind has been stubborn…making choices that serve themselves regardless of if it is God’s will for their life. He removes things in your life that do not align with His purpose. External fires can be dangerous; using smoke to cloud your vision. We tend to want to put the fires out and extinguish their flame in protection. However, God uses fire to test us and to warn us. No matter how much we want to guard those standing within, it can also block them from the very lesson they are meant to learn. Those walking in the fire are meant to surrender. To trust that God can use it to cleanse and heal as much as it can hurt.
“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Job 23:10
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10
An Internal Fire: You hear many use fire in an exclamation of excitement. “This is catching fire!” “You are on fire!” “This is fire!” “We are fired up!” “It is spreading like wildfire” “Adding fuel to the fire”. These are variations used that generate a feeling of intensity. This is internal. Passion, drive, spirit, determination, and love are great examples of such. These emotions come from deep within our souls. They grab our attention in a way that God has been using from the beginning of time. God wants to mold us into the image of Christ. When we have followed His path for our lives, He fills us with unending JOY. There is a spark that ignites within that is impossible to miss. The more we use this internal flame to touch the lives of those around us, the more blessings we receive. The lessons we have learned through His cleansing and refinement have given us a way to connect and relate to others. When God lights a fire in you, it is with purpose and when you walk through it, your faith will be what keeps you from being consumed. We must be willing to do the work He has called us to do.
“Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”
1 Corinthians 3:13
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
2 Timothy 1:6
I’ve seen the rewards of what God can ignite inside those that are willing. I’ve witnessed the results of sharing a positive light in a dark world. To cleanse and not destroy. It changes everything…it snuffs out the pain of the past and sends you into your future in a blaze of glory.
Fire is catching, it is up to us to fan the flame.