Category Archives: Tested

Turning up the heat

Posted on August 12, 2018 by vincentsmithauthor

The Bible talks about God ‘Sitting as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ A group of women, trying to understand the implications of this visited a silversmith to watch him work. They watched him hold a piece of silver over … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflecting, Tested, Transformation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

White-knuckle sailing

Posted on February 19, 2017 by vincentsmithauthor

For me, one of life’s great pleasures is sailing, and I always hope for a steady ten to fifteen knot wind. Five to ten knots of wind is pleasant, less than five knots is boring; but the one thing I … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, God's presence, Tested, Trials and testings, Troubles | Leave a comment

Afflictions v Affections

Posted on November 11, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Malcolm Muggeridge, just before his death, said: ‘Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that at the time seemed especially desolating and painful with particular satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I … Continue reading →

Posted in Strength, Tested, Trials and testings, Tried, Troubles | Leave a comment

Handling pressure

Posted on June 6, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

In the depths of the ocean there are two ways of handling the enormous water pressure that would crush a normal submarine. One is that of the bathysphere whose hull is made of steel plate several inches thick. It keeps … Continue reading →

Posted in inner peace, Spiritual blessing, Spiritual comfort, Spiritual Insight, Storms of life, Strength, Stress filled life, Tested, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Leave a comment

All sunlight makes a desert

Posted on March 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an old Arab proverb that says: ‘All sunlight makes a desert.’ Most of us love the sunshine and find more than a day of rain and overcast skies quite depressing. But when the rain doesn’t come, the sunshine becomes … Continue reading →

Posted in Endurance, Faith, Life, Life's journey, Living Life, Tested, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tempted, Tried and Tested

Posted on July 13, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

During the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the Rockie Mountains. Wanting to test the bridge, the chief engineer loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Tempted, Tested, Trials and testings, Tried | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment