Consuming fire or safely contained embers?

Hebrews 12:29  "For our 'God is a consuming fire.' "

A fire may be partially contained when it is held within the borders or confines of a fireplace, grill, etc.  Other fires are uncontrolled and wild, moving along in search of additional fuel.  These could be labeled as "consuming fires", because they don't discriminate from what is in its path.

Contained fires are within our control because they are usually created by us.  We set the borders, we are in control of adding or not adding fuel in accordance with our wishes for the fire's strength and duration.  We can also extinguish a fire that is within our control.  We will let it burn until it has served our purposes, then douse it and put it out. 

A consuming fire is not within our control.  In fact, we are largely at its mercy.  A consuming fire engulfs everything it touches.  It will burn and consume all in its path until it decides to extinguish itself.  This is the more accurate portrayal of God.  We often think we have God in our lives when He burns as a small, controllable fire in our nice, contained fireplace.  This type of fire is nice to watch and serves our purposes, but it stays in its place and we do not fear its power.

A consuming fire is raw, dangerous (at least in terms of endangering our sense of control over it) and indiscriminate of those things in its path.  It destroys the things that are subject to its strength.  It will not destroy those things that are designed to endure. 

Does God truly burn in my life as a consuming fire?  Have I allowed God to burn and destroy the impurities in my life?  Or have I given God's fire a safe, contained area in which to burn only for my benefit and enjoyment and always within my control?  God, I ask You to become a consuming fire in my heart and in my life.  Let me be fully subject to Your will, and not make You subject to the limitations and constraints I try to put on You through my will.