Removing the Dross
God wants to refine us! He wants to remove the dross in our life as dross is removed from metal. Many people don’t understand that pure gold is soft and pliable free from corrosion. It is when gold is mixed with other metals (copper, nickel, iron) that it becomes hard. The higher the percentage of foreign metals, the harder the gold becomes. How do you take gold back to its pure form? The first step is grinding it into powder and mixing it with a substance called flux. Then the mixture is placed in a furnace and melted by intense heat. The alloys and impurities are drawn to the flux and rise to the surface. The gold, which is heavier, remains on the bottom. The impurities or “dross” is then removed, yielding a purer metal.
In the same way, God refines us, Isaiah 48:10 says, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” God refines us with His discipline which many times comes through trials. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” When God refines us the impurities in our life begin to surface, and it isn’t always pleasant. When these things begin to the surface we need to take note of them repent and ask God to help us.
Brian Doerksen's song, “Refiner's Fire" goes like this:
Purify my heart Let me be as gold and precious silver purify my heart let me be as gold, pure gold
Purify my heart cleanse me from within and make me holy purify my heart cleanse me from my sin deep within
Refiner's fire my heart's one desire Is to be holy set apart for You, Lord I choose to be holy set apart for You, my Master ready to do Your will
Is it your desire to be more like Him, to be pleasing to Him, then allow Him to refine you? Say, God, refine me, bring all of those things Your not please with to the surface, and as you do I will acknowledge them and repent of them.