Tempered Steel or Worthless Scrap Iron?

*Your troubles have come in order to prove that your faith is real.It is worth more than gold.Gold can pass away even though fire has made it pure.Your faith is mearnt to bring praise,honor,and glory to God.That will happen when Jesus Christ returns.

My son,think of the Lord's training as important.Do not lose hope when He corrects you.The Lord trains those he loves.He punishes everyone he accepts as a son. * -1 Peter 1:7,-Hebrews 12:5-6.

Tempered Steel or Worthless Scrap Iron
He was an elderly blacksmith.His life had not been easy,but he was a believer and liked to speak to his customers about his faith.One day one of them asked him."Can you explain why your God,who you claim is full of love,allows you to go through so many trials?"
Picking up a piece of iron,the blacksmith replied,"This piece of iron must be resistant if it is to be useful.I put it in the fire at a high temperature.Then I lay it on the anvil and hammer it once or twice.If it resists,I dip it in water,then put it back in the fire and again on the anvil.In this way I can get something useful from it.But if it doesn't stand up to tempering,I throw it out as scrap.God tests me to see if I can stand tempering.I accept my difficulties as calmly as possible,and everyday I pray,"Lord,prove me,if necessary,but do not throw me out as waste!"
God certainly has compassion on His children and doesn't cast them off like scrap iron.However,He allows difficulties,like the fire,to strengthen our faith and prepare us for His service.Just as iron and steel are hardened by tempering,we,too,are strengthened by trials,if we let the Lord transform us.Let us not be discouraged,but look towards the end in view.God wishes to make us well-prepared servants who will be useful to Him.