When Glory Grows Through Gloom
Like a slow-cooked stew, the heat of trials draws out depth and richness that could never form quickly.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above – “Serviceability”
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Miles Stanford begins with a direct and sobering word from 1 Peter 4:12. Followers of Jesus are not to think it strange when fiery trials come. Instead, these trials are meant to shape, deepen, and purify the servant of God. The author draws a connection between the visible glory of ministry and the hidden burden it often carries. Just as sowing requires dying, so does reaping. And both are drenched in trust that God is working even when nothing seems to bloom.
Those who are closest to God’s glory often suffer most because they see how little that glory is valued by others. Like Moses on the mountain or Paul in Arabia, intimacy with God often isolates the soul from the comforts and applause of the world. The deeper the calling, the deeper the fellowship with Christ’s sufferings.
True servants, whether evangelists, teachers, or otherwise, do not simply proclaim the joy of grace. They also carry the sorrow of misunderstanding, rejection, and waiting. Job’s story is cited not only to affirm that God delights in His servant but also to show how God disciplines that servant to make him worthy of that delight.
Deliverance is never the ultimate prize. God Himself is. And often, deliverance comes only when we’ve been emptied of the demand for it. In that surrender, the light shines brightest. We learn that the delay was not neglect. It was divine love shaping a vessel for glory.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trials you face. I told you they would come, and I am with you in each one. You are not forgotten. You are being refined. The fire is not a sign of My absence. It is the place where My presence is made known in deeper ways.
You share in the sufferings of Jesus. And because you do, you also share in His glory. This path is not meant to harden you. It is forming the compassion, endurance, and humility of the One who lives in you. Even when you see no outcome, I am at work. Your heart is My field, and the harvest will come in season.
I do not delay deliverance because I delight in your pain. I delay so that you may delight in Me, not just in relief. I am your portion. I am your reward. When you cease striving to escape and begin resting in My sufficiency, you will find that you were never alone.
Your trial is temporary, but the transformation is eternal. I am working all things according to My love, and in time, you will see the beauty I have been crafting in the shadows.
Scripture References: 1 Peter 4:12–13, Romans 8:17–18, Philippians 1:29, 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, Hebrews 12:10–11, Job 1:8, Job 23:10, Isaiah 48:10, Psalm 73:26, 2 Timothy 2:12, James 1:4
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a slow-cooked stew. Unlike a meal you can microwave in a few minutes, a stew takes time. You turn up the heat, then lower it, then wait. And while it simmers, flavors deepen. The meat tenderizes. The ingredients transform into something richer than they were alone. You can’t rush it. You can only let the process do its work.
God's shaping of a servant is like that. The heat may feel unrelenting. The waiting may feel unproductive. But something beautiful is forming within. Something you couldn’t produce on your own.
Today, if you find yourself in a place of waiting or discomfort, say quietly, “Lord, I trust You to do Your deep work in me and through me in this moment. I yield to Your love rather than escape the process.” Whether it's patience in the face of frustration or peace in the middle of delay, let Him bring out something rich through your surrender.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that You do not waste my trials. You are not slow. You are precise. You are not withholding. You are refining. And in that, I rest. I trust that Your purpose is good, even when the path is hard.
Thank You that I am not called to endure in my own strength. Jesus, You have already overcome. And now, by Your Spirit within me, I walk through this valley as one who is being prepared for glory. I rejoice, not because of the fire, but because You are with me in it. You are my portion. You are enough.