God wishes to make your soul pure. He purifies it by His Wisdom just as a refiner purifies metal in the furnace. Fire is the only thing which can purify gold.
Again, the fire that consumes us—utterly—is His highest wisdom.
This fire gradually consumes all that is earthly; it takes out all foreign matter and separates these things from the gold.
The fire seems to know that the earthly mixture cannot be changed into gold. The fire must melt and dissolve this dross by force so that it can rid the gold of every alien particle. Over and over again, the gold must be cast into the furnace until it has lost every trace of pollution. Oh, how many times the gold is plunged back into the fire—far, far more times than seem necessary. Yet you can be sure the Forger sees impurities no one else can see. The gold must return to the fire again and again until positive proof has been established that it can be no further purified.
There comes a time, at last, when the goldsmith can find no more mixture that adulterates the gold. When the fire has perfected purity—or should I say simplicity—the fire no longer touches it. If the gold remained in the furnace for an eon, its spotlessness would not be improved upon nor its substance diminished!
Now the gold is fit for the most exquisite workmanship. In the future, if the gold should get dirty and seem to lose its beauty, it is nothing more than an accidental impurity which touches only the surface. This dirt is of no hindrance to the use of the gold vessel. This foreign particle which attaches itself to the surface is a far cry from having corruption deep within the hidden nature of the gold.
Rare would be the man who would reject a pure, golden vessel because it had some external dirt on it, preferring some cheap metal only because its surface had been polished.
Please do not misunderstand me. I am not excusing sin in the life of a person in union with God. Such an idea never occurred to me. I am referring here only to natural defects; defects which God deliberately leaves even in His greatest saints, to keep them from pride and to keep them from the praise of men who judge only from outward appearance.
God allows defects to remain in the dearest of His saints so He can preserve that saint from corruption and “hide him in the secret of His presence” (see Ps. 31:20). - Jeanne Guyon
Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717) was a French Christian writer whose life and teachings have shaped believers for more than three centuries. She wrote extensively about prayer, surrender, and living in continual awareness of God’s presence, emphasizing a simple, inward devotion to Christ. Because her teachings challenged religious performance and control, she was imprisoned for her faith, including years spent in the Bastille. Even in suffering, her writings reflect deep joy, trust, and a quiet confidence in God.
The daily devotional readings shared during our consecration are drawn primarily from 100 Days in the Secret Place, compiled by Gene Edwards, and a select number of other rich essays and writings. These excerpts are shared for devotional and discipleship purposes, with gratitude for the rich spiritual heritage preserved in the work. We encourage anyone who is helped by these readings to explore the full book for deeper reflection.