Sifting as Wheat - Part III (I know this is lengthy, but please be patient.)

. . . to sift, as grain in a sieve (Strongs)
There are a couple of verses in Luke 22, covering a conversation between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus had just told them that one of them would betray Him – this made his followers wonder which of them would be the betrayer. It was just a short leap from there to wondering and questioning who was the greatest of them. Please don’t judge them too harshly; I am afraid I too would have been in there amongst them – wondering which of us was the greatest.
Jesus patiently teaches them once again about being a servant, being humble and of standing by Him. Then in verse 31, Jesus tells Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.” (Whoa!) Then in verse 32, Jesus continues, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthening your brothers.” (Double Whoa!)
I feel the months leading up to our trip to the farm and the months that followed, were a sifting for Brian and I. Our Peace was something that Satan wanted to test, to see if the troubles of this world would find us standing by God or turning our backs on Him. The events that had led up to and followed this trip often found us barely keeping a hold on God, at times we times were prostrate on the floor asking God for release from these trials and at other times we angrily asked God, "Why, Father?" But, thankfully, some days it was so easy to see God’s hand still on our lives – those were precious moments to Brian and I – a time to shore up for the next sifting! God knew what needed to take place in order to sift empty words, gestures, misplaced dependency on others and the things of no real value - all things that have kept us from being the people He spoke about in Jeremiah 24, “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” I think we had gotten so caught up in doing for God and on depending on others for our needs that we forgot to LOOK TO GOD and we begin to lose sight of Him. Joel 2:13b, “Rend your heart and not your garments.” In 1999, Brian and I were hit with one family problem or event after another which left us struggling. I thought we had learned this lesson during the months, actually years that followed and I actually thought I was striving not to fall back into that pattern, but there in the midst of our sifting my heart was convicted. I was reminded that everything I do is not to raise me up – but to to bring Glory to Him. I also realized that I had begun depending on other people to meet my needs. I know God uses those around me to strengthen me, to encourage me and to convict me, but He still wants me to seek Him for answers and help – then He will provide – whether it is through His Word, His Spirit, my family or friends – He longs to be my Rock, my Fortress.
How often I can identify with Simon Peter - I long to be always pleasing to God, but I mess up so badly at times. And it is those times that God shows His love so strongly, by allowing His Son's blood to cover my messes and present me as clean!
I feel we are still not to the point of strengthening others from our trials, but I think we are taking a few steps in that direction. Thankfully, we have felt Jesus was on our side from the very beginning of our sifting and knew that He had us on His heart, praying our faith would not fail. He has seen us through.