Difficulties throughout the day can be annoying and disconcerting.  But they happen.  We have a choice each time we experience one to choose how we respond.  Will I grip and whimper, like the Israelites did when they left Egypt and plodded through the wilderness?  Or will I praise the Lord in the difficulty and give thanks?An explanation that is used in Scripture for “why” we can be grateful for the “heat” of difficulties is found in Malachi 3: 2-3 (NLT). “But who will be able to endure it when he comes?  Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross.  He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver. . .” Here fire is used as a tool of God to “refine” us.  Refine means to clean out the impurities, whether they are buried in molten silver or staining a dirty garment. In this picture we see the Heavenly Father as sitting by the crucible in which the silver is being heated up.  He is paying attention to the process, making sure that the heat is just right, and that the job of skimming off the debris is completed.And He is the washer woman, rolling our soiled garments in the tub of very hot water.  He is working strong laundry soap throughout the fabric of our lives.  He is watching as He washes — desiring that every impurity is cleaned away.God desires this level of purity and holiness for us because we are his priests (Levites).  We are His ambassadors in this world carrying the Kingdom message to our fellowman.  To do this task, to be God’s representatives, we need to be spotless.Difficulties in our lives help in this “purification” process.  Hard times create moments in which we must choose.  We are free to resist God’s cleansing, and keep the impurities that are noticeable.   Or we are free to submit to His crucible or washtub, and be cleansed thoroughly.If we want to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, we do need to choose God’s heat. If we want our souls to be yoked completely with Jesus, who is the spotless lamb, we must be purified in the refiner’s fire. Jesus shines in His radiantly white robe.  He is pure silver. He is our holiness. In this atmosphere of purity, resulting from the refining process, the Holy Spirit flows.When I am in the midst of a difficulty, I want to give thanks for it. These difficulties are the “heat” that stokes the cleansing fire.  This fire refines my soul and purifies my being.  If I want to be a royal priest, I must accept God’s refining process.  So I will say “thank you for the heat.”Thank you, Heavenly Father, for being my silversmith and my washerwoman. In Christ,