Through the Fire
- Dericka Canada Cunningham
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
August 24, 2026
This Week's Anchor
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his
eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,
will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10 NIV
If you’re reading the title of this week’s devotion thinking, “Did Chaka Khan and/or Kanye West inspire this?” Yes. Yes, they did…And I know these are secular (and spicy) songs, but hear me out. As I listened to Chaka’s phenomenal performance of “Through the Fire” on the A Colors Show not long ago, I was reminded of Kanye’s sample of this song in his hit Through the Wire. This memory transported me back to his well-praised documentary (Jeen-Yuhs), which I had the opportunity to watch a few years ago. At the time, I had mixed feelings regarding many of Kanye’s behaviors, opinions, and statements in the years prior; nevertheless, the psychotherapist in me (who loves a good personal story) pressed through to watch this documentary and learn more about the psychological, social, and cultural (as well as spiritual) context of Kanye West.
To be transparent, despite my reservations at the moment I viewed this film, I was quite moved by the narrative of Kanye’s life as captured by one of his long-term friends. I ended the documentary feeling considerable empathy for what Kanye has been through and moved by his interpretation of his life experiences, especially those that occurred early on. One experience, in particular, resonated then and still does today. It involved the life-changing car accident that Kanye encountered, which ultimately inspired his well-known song, Through the Wire. The impact of this car accident left Kanye with his mouth wired shut as he recovered. From Kanye’s perspective, the accident was an act of God, and he wrote a song that captured his perseverance through the trial, both literally and symbolically. Unbeknownst to him, this song would become the hit that launched Kanye’s rap career and made him a household name beyond his production skills.
Now, this devotion isn't just about Kanye West and Chaka Khan. As I reflected on Kanye’s song and this documentary, I couldn’t help but think of several scriptures that illustrate the power of persevering through moments in our lives that feel like setbacks. Our anchor scripture this week encourages us in the same way Kanye seemed inspired amid a dark moment in his life. This scripture reminds us of a few important things:
God is a gracious God. And when we feel like we are being put through the fire, we can remember that His grace is sufficient and that He can turn dark, difficult moments we encounter not only to work for our good, but also to change our lives completely.
We are called to His glory. Trials shouldn’t dissuade us from trusting God in His calling; they should reaffirm His purpose for our lives. As one of our former (and beautifully related) anchor scriptures proclaims, “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV)
We will experience suffering. I deeply wish we didn’t have to, but suffering is a part of this thing called life. This is true not just for those of us who believe and have a relationship with the Holy Trinity but for everyone.
However, in being in relation with the Holy Trinity, as the old church mamas used to say, “trouble don’t last always,” and wading through difficult times can bring great meaning and purpose in our lives. On the other side of each trial is God’s beautiful, glorious, and Divine restoration, recovery, and redemption. God is able…I could end the sentence there, but God can take what could have taken us out and transform it into a solid foundation to lift us.
Whether it’s a breakthrough song/movie, an iconic moment, or a powerful story, many narratives show individuals finding hope, peace, joy, and victory on the other side of trials—many of which are captured throughout the Bible. For instance, while it didn’t result in a record-breaking hit (at least not that we know of), we can’t forget the similar trial-by-fire story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In the book of Daniel (Daniel 3), these men find themselves locked in a fiery furnace because they protest serving the gods of King Nebuchadnezzar. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed great faith that God would deliver them from any fire the king had for them. Moreover, they proclaimed that even if they weren’t delivered, they would remain steadfast in not worshiping other gods. To the king’s surprise, not only did they survive the fire unscathed, but the presence of Jesus seemed to appear with them as they waded through the furnace. As a result of this, King Nebuchadnezzar, compelled by the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, decreed that their God not be spoken against and promoted them in the province.
What another powerful story. I imagine many of us have similar stories of surviving the fire and somehow thriving in God’s abundance despite it. When we’re amid trials, it can be difficult to remember these past moments of victory and recovery. Have you had any experiences like this in your own life? Instances where the very thing you prayed your way through ended up unexpectedly setting you up for one of the biggest comebacks of your life. Maybe you are in a difficult place now: feeling the burn of the unknown and the blaze of uncertainty about what lies on the other side as you patiently wait for God to deliver and restore. Regardless of where we might currently be positioned, as we enter this week, we can be inspired by the stories of others and, most importantly, by the Word and promises of God. Come what may, we will recover and make it through life’s fires bolder and better than we were before.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
How have you been impacted by the “fires” in your life, and what have they taught you?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Tuesday: Matthew 5:12
Wednesday: Romans 5:3-5
Thursday: Romans 8:18
Friday: Hebrews 12:10-13
Satuday: James 1:12
Sunday: 1 John 3:2
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
"I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it."
Simone Biles
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