These teachings are meant for those who have been on their knees asking God for one thing or the other.They have fasted and prayed but God is silent about this major issue.
Sometimes their faith is raised as if they are the next to share their testimonies only to meet a brickwall.
They cry inside but smile outside.
They mourn and feel disappointed within but they rejoice and feel elated without
They wish God could just allow their own time of celebration to come.
They desire that God should just say a word concerning this complicated issue.
But all they hear is a palpable silence!
Hmmmmmmmm…
Brethren let this sink in:
The silence of God is not equivalent to God’s inactivity! In other words when you think He is silent He is busy doing some work within you.

This is called the refining process!
Waiting on God puts you straight inside God’s refining fire.
The irony of the whole thing is that you are the one that asked for the fire in the first place!
How? You once prayed, “Draw me near to you God” “Pour your fresh fire on me”, “Take me to higher level in you” “I want to be holy like Christ”.

Now tell me,how can you achieve all these without God’s refining fire?
How can a raw gold become a karat without going through refining?
God sometimes lays His hand upon some groups of people to refine them.Count it all joy because it will result in thanksgiving and fruitfulness.
So what does the Bible say about this process:
” I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”-Zech 13:9
In the Biblical days the refining of gold is via two major processes:
1)Grinding of the excavated gold ores to extract impure gold(the impurities include copper,silver,iron etc)
2)Purification process:The refiner puts the crucible containing the impure gold on a very hot fire.He stirs it to eliminate the impurities.
NB:The refiner sits close to the fire and monitors all the processes.
        PURPOSE OF GOD’S REFINING PROCESS
1)The process removes the dross/impurities in you.It makes you move from impure gold to a 24-karat gold!
Meanwhile,your focus is on the intensity of the furnace:The more the intensity,the more your cry for help.You keep shouting for help like David did in many of the Psalms.Little do you know that the same fire is being used to eliminate impurities in you.
“He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD.”- Mal 3:3
2)The waiting period inside God’s refining fire brings out the real you,your motives and passion:
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-1 Peter1:7(NLT) .
3)Maturity is achieved while waiting on God inside the fire.A karat gold only comes out of gold ore after grinding(not palatable anyway) and purification processes!
4)Real fulfilment can only be gotten through this process:
“For You, O God, have tested us;  You have refined us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.”-Psalm 66:10-12.
Abraham waited on God to have Isaac,he went through the fire of childlessness,he ended up being not just the father of Isaac but the Father of nations.
5)It makes you not just to be useful but usable in hand of the refiner for every good work:
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.-2 Tim 2:20-21.
However it should be noted that God,who is the refiner is sitting close to the fire.Do not be afraid
He won’t allow you to go through what is more than your faith:
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it-1 Cor 10:13.
Not only that,you are not alone.God is with you!
” When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”-Isa 43:2.

To be continued…
Stay blessed and rapturable.

By Dr Ajimuda Temitope

Dr Ajimda Temitope was born in Ikare Akoko,Ondo State,Nigeria.He attended LA primary School,Victory College Ikare Akoko and proceeded to the University of Ibadan,Oyo State to study Medicine and Surgery.He bagged MBBS degree in Dec 2011. He is happily married. He loves blogging,mentoring,travelling,practising medicine and teaching.