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Apr 19, 2025 06:00am

A Hum of Praise

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This past weekend I went to a Christian women’s conference.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending the conference annually for the past four years due to the faithfulness of a coworker to extend an invite.

Each year I’ve gone with expectation.

The first year, I had expectations of what I thought it was going to be like. Admittedly, some of my expectations were negative.

In year one, I was met, in a good way, with the power and presence of God in a way I didn’t expect and—dare I say—had never experienced before.

Each year following, I’ve prayerfully gone to the conference, praying the Holy Spirit would give me a specific word or direction about what was most pressing in my life at the time.

This year, more than any other, I NEEDED a Word.

I’ll spare the details of everything going on in my life and sum it up in this way: calling and testing and trials, oh my!

I went to the conference expecting a clear word from God. You know, one of those times where God lays out the details?

I expected specific details on how my calling is going to come to fruition despite opposition.

I expected God to tell me specifically when and how He was going to heal and bring deliverance in both my trials and the trial of a dear friend of mine.

Just like year one, God didn’t meet my expectations; He instead unexpectedly exceeded my expectations.

My husband and I have committed to meditating on one chapter of Proverbs per day. This reading plan works out well because there are thirty-one chapters in Proverbs, which is roughly the same number of days in a month.

I typically listen to a chapter of Proverbs while I get ready. My husband generally tunes in while driving to work. Even though we listen and meditate in separate settings, we like to talk about what stood out to us.

The first day of the conference was March 27th.

That morning, I read and was struck by Proverbs 27:21, which says, “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.”

Night one of the conference, the preacher focused on Isaiah 18:1-6. In this passage, Isaiah the prophet brings a word from the Lord to the people of Israel. In this word, God compares His people to clay on a potter’s wheel.

Clay that is being reworked and refashioned into another vessel that would be good and usable by the potter. Throughout my life, I’ve heard several teachings focused on the parallel of the potter’s wheel to our sanctification process as Christians.

What I had not heard, until that night, was a focus on the fire.

After the potter finishes reworking the broken pieces and smoothing out his masterpiece, he will put it in a fiery kiln.

The amount of time the piece of pottery spends in the kiln is dependent on the sound the potter hears coming from the piece.

The potter knows when he hears a consistent hum, the piece is ready to come out.

Throughout the conference, I cannot tell you I heard the Holy Spirit give me a clear and detailed word, but what I can tell you is He continually drew me into the presence of God through worship.

There was a clear call to cast my cares and praise the Lord for who He is.

James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

In other words, when the fire (trial) produces a consistent “hummmmm” (i.e., a steadfast response of praise, worship, and trust in Creator God) within us, it is then we will be complete and lacking in nothing. Or, as some translations say, “mature and lacking in nothing.”

It is then we will be ready to be pulled out of the fire by our potter, God, as He will know we are ready to be used for His service and purpose.

I don’t know about you, but there are various sounds that have been coming out of me as I’m in the kiln: anger, fear, frustration, and doubt, to name a few.

I went into the conference feeling heavy; I left refreshed.

I did not get a clear, detailed word on the deliverance or fruition that is to come, but I was reminded I didn’t need one.

Instead, what I did need was to lay aside the facts of the present situations plaguing me and soak in His presence. I needed to focus my mind and heart on the truths of who He is…

the one who will be faithful to complete what He has started
the one who heals
the one who gives abundant life only

My heart went into the conference singing “huhhhhh?” and came out singing “hummmmm.”