Sifted

 | sift |
verb [with object]
1 put (a fine, loose, or powdery substance) through a sieve so as to remove lumps or large particles: sift the flour into a large bowl.
• cause to flow or pass as through a sieve: Melanie sifted the warm sand through her fingers.
• [no object, with adverbial of direction] (of snow, ash, etc.) descend or float down lightly or sparsely as if sprinkled from a sieve: ash began to sift down around them.
2 examine (something) thoroughly so as to isolate that which is most important or useful: until we sift the evidence ourselves, we can't comment objectively | [no object] : the fourth stage involves sifting through the data and evaluating it.
• (sift something out) separate something, especially something to be discarded, from something else: he asked for streamlined procedures to sift out frivolous applications.

Sifting is not a fun process when you go through it for spiritual purposes. God has His reasons for sifting people. Some of us have a lot of lumps that need to be removed. For me that has meant more sifting than most. Large lumps had to be removed and it has often been a painful process.

Pride has been one of the largest lumps in my life and the Lord has gone to great lengths to humble me. When I have wanted to be self sufficient many times God put me in situations where I needed other people's help. He has also let me fail repeatedly to humble me. That has been the hardest part of sifting. To try hard repeatedly and fail. To feel like you have beaten your head against the wall. It has kept me from getting the big head.

Even though sifting is painful. God doesn't waste the pain. There are lessons to be learned. In each failure I've learned something valuable. In one church I learned how to love people and be a shepherd. In another I learned to pray. In another I learned it is not all about church growth. I learned about faith to a greater degree in the next church. I learned to preach expository messages in the next. I learned to love and forgive along the way and learned about revival in another place. Though the sifting hurt God used it for good.

The surgeon's knife hurts but has ultimate healing in mind when it is used to remove the cancer. God's cutting and sifting has healing purposes. It comes down to trust. Do we trust a loving God to sift us for our own good.

The best part is that Jesus does not leave us alone in the sifting. He prays for us. He intercedes for us. He prays that our strength and faith may not fail. When I look back over all the years and all the sifting I am thankful His prayers sustained me. I still believe. I still trust. I still have hope. I hope you do too.

Luke 22:31-32 (NASB)
31  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
32  but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."