I’ve always loved the hymn How Firm a Foundation, but this year it became a personal favorite. I was faced with some unprecedented health problems during the end of a pregnancy that left me unable to walk for a few weeks. Shortly before I was confined to bed, my eyes glanced up to a Scripture verse a friend had given me that was taped above my kitchen sink. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. Since I remember words better when set to a tune, I would regularly sing these words to myself and found great comfort in them:
“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed, for I am thy God , and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen the, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace all sufficient shall be thy supply; the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to its foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
-How Firm a Foundation
When we walk through fiery trials, how do we not give way to fear? How do we come through the fire refined and more like Jesus and not consumed by our very real fears? The greatest calamity that could befall us is the loss of the Lord. But we have a Lord who took the fire He came on earth to bring (Luke 12:49-50). He was consumed by the fire of God’s wrath in order to ransom us. With that firm foundation set underneath me, I am learning to trust God that since the worst (losing Jesus) doesn’t need to be a fear, I can walk through my fiery trials leaning on Jesus for repose, knowing that since He took my place and was forsaken by the Father on the cross, I will never be forsaken. My trials then become a doorway to more of Jesus and an opportunity for deeper joy in fellowship with Him.
Guest post by Krista Ortlund Scheidt
