Last October I had an unusual spot show up on my back. In November I noticed it had grown and considered I needed to go and have it looked at as to which my Doctor referred me to a specialist in Houston. In December the diagnoses came back as stage 1 Melanoma skin cancer. The idea overwhelmed me to say the least, fears worked on me…it was hard to wrap my head around it. 

I’ve always had the mindset…never me… I know that’s irrational truth, and yes,  it was a false sense of security that I held for myself. 

As I pondered over the situation and grew more with the idea of it waiting to hear what the next stage would be, I just had to walk it out. I’d pray and ask God to give me the courage to be ok with whatever the outcome

would be and if I am being honest, it was hard to call upon the scriptures…I believe in them, I know how they have worked in my life but it was hard for me to not let the fears get a hold of me. 

It’s interesting how one word can change a persons entire perspective about their life. 

As I continue seeking the Lord and asking him to help me in this trial I pondered to the thought of our church offering the people an opportunity to participate in a fast at the beginning of the year for whatever area in our life God would show us. In the process most will receive a specific word for the year. I was one of those who participated and received that one word. My word is “Refined”.  

Sharing it with the few people I did, it was evident by the comments or the expression on their face it didn’t sound very good. This naturally takes me to ponder over why I would get such a word. Did it mean it had to be a bad thing? 

What is the purpose of it? If you read last week’s article you’ll most likely remember me talking about alittle bit about it.  When I think about what can come from being refined I think about the church today and how it is becoming more evident the church is praying for revival. What the Lord showed me was to have revival, sometimes it will require becoming refined or going through a refining process… what does this mean? 

I asked the Lord tell me what you want me to learn in this. 

As I begin to pray about it, God showed me that when we go through a refining, sometimes just like they did when I had my second biopsy they had to dig deep into the attacked area, deep into my tissues in order to get to the root of what was holding that specific area hostage or imprisoned, but in it they also had to dig and cut away some of the good cells surrounding the cancer in order to get to the bad.  Being “refined” is not always a bad thing, although it is striping away bad things or impurities in our lives there are also times that some of the good areas in our lives are removed in order for God to cleanse us from the areas that hold us hostage or keeps us imprisoned that would prevent Him from moving revival within our hearts causing our spirit man to be stiff. 

Naturally, just like the discomfort I experienced when they were removing the cancer, there was some pain that followed me for several days afterwards, Refining too can come with pain and discomfort, and lots of uncertainties of not knowing what the outcome will be, but once we’ve been refined, once the dead roots have been dug up and new roots began to generate, they become alive and opens the way for revival to begin manifesting in our spirit man…..

To be refined does not always mean a bad thing because when Gods in it, it can only be good.

I did get receive a good report, and will need to go back for a complete body scan and from there will be required to go in for observation every 3 months….