Jeremiah 15:18-19 NASB
[18] Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable? [19] Therefore, thus says the LORD,“ If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. …
I think that these are some of the most important verses in all the Bible, because I believe they communicate one of the most important and practical truths that a Christian can never learn. Obviously, these verses speak of a difficult and painful circumstance that doesn’t seem to want to go away, and the result is that God’s goodness is being question. The last part of verse 18 says “will you (God) be to me like a deceptive stream of water that is unreliable.” In other words, since the pain seems to continue, and the wound seems to be incurable, God is being unreliable, and deceptive, in that he says that he is good, but if he is so good then why does he continue to allow such a painful thing to go on and on.
I found that it is much easier to celebrate God, and to trust him when the things going on in my life feel good, but the truth is, anybody can rejoice, even lost people, when everything is going the way we wanted them to. The problem is, that in this fallen world Jesus promised that we would have tribulation, and what we do with the painful times of our life will really determine how victorious, and fruitful our life actually will be in the Lord. I love verse 19, and it has become one of the most important verses in my life. If you and I to learn to extract the precious from the worthless not only will we learn to live victoriously regardless of the circumstances of our life, but God will also release an anointing through us to be his spokesman. There are a lot of things that come into our lives whether it be circumstances, or people, that seem to be worthless as far as the value they bring to our lives. Disappointment, and pain of any sort always feel so pointless and so worthless, and yet, it is in those places, where were able to excavate the greatest riches of all. It is in the wilderness where we learn to lean on our beloved, and it is in those places where God is able to cultivate Christ likeness in us at an extravagant and accelerated level. Earlier in the same chapter in verse 16 Jeremiah says, “Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.” Personal famine in the external things of life, is an opportunity for us to feast on the eternal, and when we feast on the eternal, there’s always transformation in the internal. Here’s the key though, in the midst of our pain we have to be very intentional to extract the precious things that God wants to speak to us and do in us, if you are going to experience a transformational grace of God in those moments. The word “extract” intimates a holy determination to excavate the things of God. When we experience pain, especially long-term pain, we will either become bitter, or better. It totally depends on what we excavate and extract in those times. If we extract the precious, that will be transformed, and transferred into a place of anointed ministering grace to all the other people living in a fallen world, and dealing with “worthless things” in their own lives. Look below the surface, and mine the precious thins that are lying there waiting for you to extract them.