Who's Your Plus One? #382

If you’d like to hear this message instead of reading it, tune in to the Living Your Legacy Podcast.

You’ve probably felt like you’re in the fire more than you’re not. Some days, it starts as soon as you wake up. Pressure, stress, expectations, and challenges overwhelm you before you hit the door. And yet, day after day, you find a way to get through it. You rub off the burn marks, catch your breath, and do it all again tomorrow.

The Israelites faced challenges, too, but God provided new manna for them every day. They had to trust that God would provide enough for that day and not hoard for tomorrow. So maybe the strength that God’s providing today keeps you strong enough to face the fires tomorrow.

Then there’s Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were thrown into a furnace that was seven times as hot as the day before because they would not bow down to the golden image. It was so hot that the men who threw them in did not survive themselves. Then, when King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace, he didn’t see three men; he saw four standing in the flames. Those three men were never alone in their furnace and the truth is, neither are you in yours.

Now I understand that there are moments when it feels like too much, when you wonder how long you can keep going. I’ve been there. But what you’re going through may not be punishment, but purification? Think about how silver is refined by fire to remove impurities. Maybe you should try asking God what He’s purifying from you during this furnace season of your life.

I also believe that not everyone can handle what you are going through right now. God knows that. He knows exactly what you can endure, even when you question it or doubt yourself. It’s time to allow God to breathe His strength back into you again. Allow Him to remind you that He’s standing beside you in the furnace so you can withstand the heat.

Another part of that story that stands out to me is that something changed in King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart. One day, he built a golden image and demanded worship. Next, he acknowledged the one true God. All because he watched three men willing to die for their God in the furnace. Never forget that people are watching you, too. They are watching how you respond to pressure, to stress, and to the challenges you face every day. They are watching to see if your faith holds when life gets difficult. So ask yourself, what are others seeing in me today?

The way you endure the fire could be the very thing that changes someone else’s heart. It could shift their perspective, challenge what they believe, or even draw them closer to God. So maybe today is not about escaping the fire, but it’s about trusting God in the middle of it and allowing Him to do what only He can do.

I want to encourage you to stand strong, withstand the flames a little longer, because what you are going through is producing something in you that you can not yet see. I know that your best legacy is waiting on the other side of that door if you can withstand the flames and turn your fire into fruit.

If you want to turn the fire into the fruit of your legacy, then visit lighthouselegacies.com to learn how. Also, check out the Living Your Legacy Podcast.