The title of this piece is a little misleading. The subject is actually Sanctification, but Panning For Gold is an excellent illustration of the process. Sanctification means separation to God. I'm sure you can already see where I'm headed with this and if up to now didn't understand Sanctification are beginning to.
Have you ever panned for Gold? Thousands of people each year travel to the North Georgia Mountains to the little town of Dahlonega where they can eat home style cooking and pan for gold. The Georgia Capital Dome is layered with Dahlonega gold. Now, that's a lot of gold, but there is still more to be found. The creeks and streams in Dahlonega look pretty normal. You seldom see pieces of gold laying in plain view. You have to scoop up the creek bed and put it in a screen bottom pan and then shake it back and forth to separate the dirt from the gold. As you shake the pan, all the dirt, sand and trash small enough to go through the screen falls through leaving everything too large to be sifted laying in the pan. That's when you see the shiny gold particles laying among the remaining debris. You then gently remove the debris and lift the gold from the pan and place it in a safe container.
Panning for Gold is a process that takes time. Sanctification is much the same. When you accept Christ and repent of your sins the sifting begins. God wants us to be set apart, separated to Him. So He wants us to begin removing the debris in our life so that we can live as pure a life before Him as possible. Some things we allow may not necessarily be a sin but are debris because they keep us from a close relationship with the Lord. I am not going to give you a list of things that He wants removed because I believe it is different for different people. The Bible says in I John 3: 20-21 "whenever our hearts condemn us" we know we are doing wrong . "If our hearts do not condemn us we have confidence before God."
I know some Christian people who don't have a television in their house because they believe it isn't right for them to have it. Others have a set in every room. Some Christian ladies wear make up but others believe it is wrong. Some won't drink coffee while others do. I know of some Christians who drink wine with their meals and others believe that alcohol of any kind is a sin. The list of acceptable and unacceptable practices is endless. If your heart condemns you don't do it. "Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned..." Romans 14: 22-23
Many Christians frequently eat in restaurants that have a bar. As a matter of fact most, if not all, of the good places to eat have a bar or a wine list. I used to feel uncomfortable going to one of them. Not because I thought eating there was wrong, but because I was afraid I would be seen there by someone who did. I still eat in places like that because it seems to be widely accepted now, but this does illustrate another scriptural point. The Bible says to "shun the very appearance of evil." There are times we should not do something simply because it looks wrong.
How can you know that your heart is condemning you? I guess there are several ways. The closer you walk with the Lord the easier it is to tell. You may feel out of place, experience sadness or guilt. Your conscious may bring about physical changes like feeling as though a heavy weight or burden has been laid on you. If you are truly seeking to be closer to God, you'll know. I remember an old Southern Gospel song that has helped me. It simply asks this question, "If Jesus came to your house to spend some time with you, would you have to make some changes in the things you say and do?"
Sometimes
the hardest part is laying aside the debris that covers the Gold.
