"For He is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and He will purify the sons of Levi,
refining them like gold or like silver,
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD."
— Malachi 3:2-3
Not too long ago, we heard this reading at Mass, and the phrase "refiner’s fire" struck me.
Life is full of little inconveniences. We’re pushed, pulled, poked, and prodded in ways that test our patience. It’s easy to wonder, Why can’t this just be easier?
But scripture reminds us: we are being refined.
God loves us as we are, but He doesn’t want us to stay as we are. He desires to shape us into something even more beautiful, more holy—fit for His Kingdom. And refinement isn’t always comfortable. Fire purifies, but it also burns.