Values Quotes – Charles Stanley on Refinement

Today’s quote is from Dr. Charles Stanley, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in northern Atlanta, Georgia.

A thought-provoking quote from Stanley is:
“[God] won’t let His beloved children get away with sin because He knows it robs us of blessings, opportunities, and even refinement.”

This is an important statement on the value of refinement.

As a differentiating value, Refinement means to improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; or removing impurities.

Maybe you’re familiar with the analogy of how our lives are like the refining of gold.

Refining gold from the ore in which it can be found involves a process in which the ore is “tried” or melted in a hot fire, in order to separate pure gold from the other elements. The same is true for God’s children. God allows us to be “tried in the fire” – just like gold – in order to separate what is pure and holy from everything else, which is sin.

As Jesus stated in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

So the next time you’re feeling some “heat” in your life, consider what sin you need to repent of – and let go – so that the purity of God’s love and grace might shine through you. Remember, the value of refinement is meant to improve or perfect. In the end, it’s about making you better.

 

Today’s value was selected from the “Harmony-Order” category, based on the e-book Developing Your Differentiating Values.