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  DROSS REMOVAL
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: God's process of removing dross from our hearts may be
unexpected, but it's necessary for our transformation and
sanctification.

Topics: "Surrendering to God", "Spiritual Transformation"
Scripture References: Psalm 51:10, Isaiah 48:10, Matthew 6:19-21, Luke 14:33, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Philippians 3:8, Hebrews 12:1, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:7

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes that God's process of transforming us into
extraordinary Christians often involves painful and challenging
experiences, akin to a sculptor using harsh tools to shape marble. He
explains that God may remove our most cherished possessions and trusts,
leaving us with emptiness, but this is not about promoting poverty;
rather, it is about spiritual refinement. God allows us to have these
things but restricts our ability to find joy in them, ensuring they do
not harm our spiritual growth. The ultimate goal is to create beauty and
holiness within us through this dross removal process.

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CONTENT
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If God sets out to make you an unusual Christian He is not likely to be
as gentle as He is usually pictured by the popular teachers. A sculptor
does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude, unshapely marble to a
thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and the chisel are cruel tools, but
without them the rough stone must remain forever formless and
unbeautiful. To do His supreme work of grace within you He will take
from your heart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will
go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures
used to be. This is not to teach the sanctifying power of poverty. If to
be poor made men holy every tramp on park bench would be a saint.

But God knows the secret of removing things from our hearts while they
still remain to us.

What He does is to restrain us from enjoying them. He lets us have them
but makes us psychologically unable to let our hearts go out to them.
Thus they are useful without being harmful.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/dross-removal/
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