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By Ariane Williams

Worth is the level at which someone deserves to be valued or rated. I ask you today, “Do you know your worth?” 

One night, I decided to search within myself; I decided that enough was enough, and that it was time for me to be refilled and allow God to refine my worth. You see, I was looking for refining in the wrong places and in the wrong people. It all began with a dream when I began walking towards a blazing fire. My hair was hanging down my back; I wore a flowy white dress, no makeup, and I wasn’t wearing any shoes. Just me. I can remember the feel of the rocks as they stuck to the bottom of my feet. I knew that the pain from the crushing rocks was temporary but my refining was going to refill me with the permanent love of God. At first, I was afraid, but there was a sense of comfort in the heat that pulled me closer and closer to the fire. A voice whispered to me, “It is time for you to walk through as I refine your worth.”

Refining is the removal of bubbles from the molten glass and is supported by high temperature and stirring. How many of us know that in the midst of refining, there will be some trouble bubbles on the route and some heated moments as God begins to stir what is within us to get it out of us? As I walked towards the voice, there was something holding me back. As I looked to the left, I saw all the things that tried to hold me back last year. I felt the pain from some of those things just like contractions when you are getting ready to push to deliver life into the world, yet the contractions subsided and were replaced with the whispering voice that birthed healing. I began to walk through because on the other side of the fire, I saw my worth for the first time.  

It becomes a battle within the mind and the heart when you are taking back your power. Know that your pain, your challenges, your tears, your uncontrolled emotions, your ability to not let go, your crazy mind was only a journey to bring you to the fire. This is your season of refining your worth. Be careful of trying to get people to validate your worth when God sent His son to die on the cross, because He already knew your worth. Stop being afraid of the fire, just go through it. On the other side of the fire, is your “powered” strength. Those things that tried to control you will become ashes and on the other side, those ashes will be replaced with an anointed beauty. 

There are those moments when we are tried. It may not feel good in the midst of the refining process, but you must allow God to take what’s within you, refine it, and breathe it back in you so that you can blow it back out to heal the world. 

Today, look back at those things one more time and get ready to walk through the fire. It is not going to burn you physically, but as you walk through, it is going to refill you with a new fire of strength to empower your anointing. It was in your preparation stages that God stripped you from what you thought you were to clothe you with who He knows you are. Your season of refining is here. Those bubbles did not destroy you. You stood in the high temperature as life stirred around you. The uncharted emotions from your past will be left behind the fire. Just walk. You may have felt like you were getting further away from God; He was only bringing you closer to the fire. Know your worth. Your value cannot be devalued by anyone who can’t measure the truth of your heart. 

Ariane Williams is a teacher, minister, published author and liturgical dancer. Email her at arianewilliams810@yahoo.com.