The Settling Process...

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
      “ God resists the proud,
      But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." I Peter 5:5-11 (Emphasis is mine)


In life our decisions, priorities, proclivities, fears and circumstances bring cloudiness into what was once purely existence in Jesus.  Then our merciful Father adds just the right mixture of His Son and applies forces to our being that cause our existence to begin to resemble something like a bunch of particles in a jar that is being stirred up.  In this process we are tested to see what we will hang onto and what will be let go.  We are instructed to be sober and vigilant to hang on to our faith in Jesus Christ as our Stabilizer.  Once the applied force ends, the drag force of gravity begins to win out, then all those who are holding onto the same materials will settle to the appropriate level.  Then depending upon the thing to which you are holding your level in the mixture will be revealed.  Those holding on to gold will settle to the bottom and those holding on to the nothingness of froth will rise to the surface.  My desire is to be found, when the swirling subsides and everything has settled out, holding on to the Living Water of Jesus Christ only, made pure once again by his settling of me.

The process of settling involves lovingly applied force and requires of me yielded patience, gracious humility, enduring vigilance, and steadfast faith.  The end result will be purity once again!  Thank God for the purification process.