Folks let me begin by asking this question; Do you like your current state? Or you may want to improve on your life!
Let’s look at this outline!
To be refined is defined as “To bring to a fine or pure state; free from impurities”.
Personal development doesn’t happen overnight. It is to enhance the quality of your life. It’s a process, a journey and not an easy task. As human beings at a point in our life, we should assess ourselves to determine whether we are making progress or not. If there’s an area you need to improve on, with determination you can achieve what you have purposed to do.
If something needs to be refined, it must go through a process to remove the impurities. Crude oil is refined by removing certain impurities from the oil into finished product such as diesel, petrol, etc. Another example is how sugar cane is refined into sugar and alcohol.
We can develop ourselves by schooling, taking a course, learning a vocation and reading widely. Life is more than marrying, having children and traveling. We need to humble ourselves before we can learn. It’s part of the challenge.
Jeremiah 18:1-6 says, the Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made. I will speak to you while you are there”. So i did as He told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again. Then the Lord gave me this message: “O Israel, can i not do to you as this potter has done to his clay?
As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.
Bible tells us how the potter has power over the clay, to permit the defects to remain or to reshape the pot. Likewise, God had power to reshape His nation to conform to His purposes. As we yield to our potter (God) to work on us, He begins to reshape us into valuable assets.
Polishing ourselves, packaging and presenting ourselves to the outside world bring results and enhance our image. If we are polished and become elegant, it attracts buyers, but if we remain in our unkempt state we will lose our “market value”.
“Be Refined!”
Let’s believe in ourselves!
Let’s set goals for our lives!
Let’s be determined to change direction!
Let’s acquire knowledge!
Let’s receive the discipline!
Let’s fight for what is ours!
May God give us courage and help us in all our endeavors.
Thanks for reading!
Watch out on my next episode on “Character Training!”.