Difficult times

I have been going through some difficult times recently. Everything in my life was not going the way i wanted it to be but exactly in the opposite manner. Different problems with different dimensions some which i never thought i would have to go through. The real testing part was that it was happening in all aspects of my life. Be it professional , personal and a profound dryness in my spiritual life.

Then i came across this beautiful story of a child who saw a man holding a ugly and dirty piece of metal in the middle of the fire which was being engulfed in the flame. The child in its inquisitive nature was asking the man what are you doing with that ugly and dirty thing. The man asked the child to sit beside him and to watch the metal closely. The child realised that as time went on the fire was melting away the ugly and dirty and slowly but steadily he could see white silver part emerging out of it. The child then asked the man how will you know when the process is completed. The man responded saying "when i see my face in it". The man in the story being Jesus and the ugly and dirty metal being me i realised that , every day when i read the bible yearning to become Christ like, I always forgot what it took Christ to become what he is to us now "Suffering".

Then these verses in the bible which i had read a long time ago, came to my mind.

My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing.

Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.

Cling to him and do not depart, so that your last days may be prosperous.

Accept whatever befalls you, and in times of humiliation be patient.

For gold is tested in the fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation

Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him. - Sirach 2 : 1-6

The last verse gave me a lot of strength to journey on in my life and i pray it does the same for you.