Blog Post: The Purification Process – The Imitation of Christ

As a part of friend’s gathering, I was asked to share a short message on what God had been speaking to me at the time. The irony was that, for the life of me, I couldn’t pinpoint anything to share. As I talked to God about my predicament, I felt that He wanted to me share something new, something that at the time, He was unfolding for me in real time. 

That week, I had come across a book that had been on my shelf for some time but I have never read. I flipped through some of the chapters and a chapter title caught my attention: “True Patience in Suffering.” The chapter talked about the virtue of patience and how vital the fruit of patience is in a believer’s life. I did some more research and found that the chapter title came from Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.”

Timeless Wisdom From Unexpected Places

It was a hard year for me and to find this scripture brought an incredible amount of clarity for me. It helped me understand a process that’s been happening to me over the course of this past year—the impartation of patience, supernatural patience, in the midst of suffering. This scripture reframed what God was doing in my life. Instead of focusing on the suffering and pain I was enduring, I was able to see a great Kingdom work taking place in me. 

Recognizing the depth of wisdom this book had for me, I returned to it, eager to explore more of what it had to say. Written in the 1400’s, this book actually is one of the most famous Christian books read throughout the centuries! I don’t remember when I had gotten this book, but I must have bought it with the intent to read it, albeit I was a few years late. Piecing together what God was trying to speak to me on, I came across a chapter that really hit home what I was unpacking. Here is an excerpt from this chapter: 

“Jesus has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of His cross. He has many seekers of comfort, but few of tribulation. He finds many companions at His feasts, but few at His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him; few are willing to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus as long as no adversities befall them. Many praise and bless Him, so long as they receive comforts from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a little while, they fall either into complaining or into excessive dejection.

But they who love Jesus for the sake of Jesus and not for some special consolation, bless Him in all tribulation and anguish of heart as well as in the highest consolation. And even if He should never grant them consolation, they would still praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks.

Oh, how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, which is not mixed with self-interest or self-love!”

The Imitation of Christ, Chapter 11, Thomas à Kempis

A Purification Process Greater Than We Can Imagine

I realized that I was looking at tribulations and suffering from the wrong point of view. That just as this chapter described, there is a purification process happening in all of us that is greater than we can imagine. I resonate what this chapter says —I have complained, I have fallen into the dejection and hopeless, just as it describes. But oh, to have the pure love of Jesus! It is through the fires of refinement that the dross of this world falls off, only to uncover a pure and untainted love for our Savior. Realizing it or not, there are greater things at work in our lives than our limited understanding. There is a sifting taking place and it is for a greater purpose. 

2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” 

There is something God does in us long before He does something through us. I am realizing that I have unknowingly signed up for a deeper process than I ever expected. A refinement that hurts and that has made me bitter to God and led to my fair share of complaints. But in the depths of the refining fires, I have discovered a transformation greater than I ever could have expected—a transformation where I see myself beginning to look like Christ.

Becoming His Image Bearers

This book didn’t just give me language of becoming patient in suffering. This book gave language to the process that is happening in me and most likely what I can guess is happening in you too—we are becoming the image of Christ. The Ones who reflect Christ—imitate Him. The greatest privilege we could ask for here on earth. Jesus likes to hide profound truths in plain sight. 

So when you have a bad day, a tough week, or a moment of hopelessness, I encourage you to step higher into the heavenly realm where the perspective is clearer. There is more happening than what it initially meets the eye. There are Kingdom values being imparted, fruits of the Spirit being birthed, and a deep and real transformation taking root in you. 

Before God does a great work through us, He first does a great work in us—preparing us to be His image bearers, ready to carry His weighty glory into the world.