Why do you have to suffer in this life? Just picture certain other people. It seems as though they are always sailing in calm waters. Why must your waters always seem rough and choppy?

Surely you agree that the untimely loss of a job ranks high on anyone’s list of difficult life challenges; as would the unexpected news that you have cancer.

Has any of these been your lot? Have you suffered the sudden death of a loved one? How about the horrible news that your spouse has been cheating on you? Worse still, everybody knew about the unfaithfulness except you!

Have you ever wished you could just skip over the rough seas and land on the other side? Sparing you the agony of having to go through the fiery trial?

Speaking of fire, have you ever taken chemistry? You remember all those fun experiments you did in the classroom; almost blowing up your whole school.

Do you remember the time you put compounds in a small container and heated them? Or should I say super heated them? All of a sudden they began to burn extra bright and weird colored smoke started to fizzle from the container.

You will most likely call the container a test tube. But in this article we will call it a crucible. The dictionary calls the crucible a vessel used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat.

It also calls it a severe test. And finally, a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development.

Are you starting to see something here? Can you see a link forming between the difficult challenges we face in life and the definition of a crucible?

Have you experienced difficult tests which you feel caused you to develop and grow spiritually?