REFINING
Today's reading: Ecclesiastes 7-9

"Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us." Ecclesiastes 7:3 NLT

Refining-a freeing from impurities or unwanted material; a freeing from moral imperfections; an improving by pruning or polishing.

It's true.

Well, every word in the Bible is true, but what King Solomon says here is a live-able truth. One that's played out in our every day lives.

It takes an empty chair at the holiday table to make realize the importance of that one.

It takes sickness to help us find out how valuable health is.

It takes a fire, flood or tornado to let us see the comforts of home.

It takes death for us to ascertain the shortness of life.

What is it God will use in each of our lives to refine us? To remove the fluff, the extras, to bring us to the full attention of all He has given us?