During my quiet time over the past several weeks God’s really been working in my life. And one of the things I’ve noticed is that simple pieces of wisdom He passed on to me years back are now bearing fruit in my life. As I reflected on them I realized too that these things are worth sharing with you in hopes God may use them in your life.
For what it’s worth here are a few bits of wisdom to help you through the day:
The hotter the fire the stronger the steel. All through God’s word we see His use of fire for cleansing and strengthening. Gold becomes purified and the dross is easily removed after being subjected to intense heat, and the experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo who not only walked out of a fiery furnace completely unharmed, they walk out of a furnace who’s fire was built up to such an intensity that men died just trying to get close enough to throw the three inside. As we go through times of trials and testing in our lives we need to remember this truth, God is building us up and making us stronger as He leads us through the fire.
A broken bone heals stronger than its original strength. I heard one time that a bone, once broken, will heal to a condition of strength much stronger than prior to the break. Have you ever considered that sometimes God has to break us down before He can build us up? It’s only when we’re brought low in humility and selflessness that God can truly accomplish all He desires in our lives. Our pride and our own independence are actually weaknesses which prevent us from growing strong in the Lord. God’s word tells us “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise.” If you feel broken this week is it because God’s preparing to do something awesome in your life? Is He in the process of strengthening you for the work at hand, the challenge of the day, or perhaps preparing you for some new work?
Butterflies, diamonds and marble are not initially beautiful; their beauty comes from the transformation process God puts them through over time. Have you ever considered that a butterfly, for example, is only beautiful in the last season of its life? Moreover, to achieve that beauty they undergo a long transformational process, in fact if you saw the pupae but never eventually saw the butterfly you’d never know the potential for its beauty. We can learn several things from this, here are two: first, that we should never judge anything by its looks, but look to see the beauty it could become. This is how God looks at us, being in Christ God does not see our sin and our shortcomings, no, He sees what we could become and works within us to transform us into His image. We should do the same with those God places around us and in our daily lives. Look to see the potential, overlook the shortfalls, and know that if we can lead them to Jesus He will do the transforming. The other thing we can learn from this is also true in our own lives. We should not be down on ourselves because we focus on our weaknesses, nor because others do. We need to see as God sees that we are a work in progress, His work, and what He’s creating in us will be more beautiful than man can imagine. We are in a state of constant transformation as we allow to God to work His life changing will in our lives. When things begin to get you down, when all you can see are your shortcomings, failings and sins – look up not down. God’s not done with you yet, He’s in the process of transforming you.
Speaking of transforming, a lump of coal and a pile of limestone aren’t much to look at but through their transformational processes they become diamonds and fine marble. From coal to diamonds, and limestone to marble who would think that? From the ugliest black piece of carbon to the most beautiful and desirable jewel in the entire world, wow! And what about simple limestone becoming gleaming marble adorning the hallways and entryways of king’s castles? Both of them have something in common, they both require very intense heat and unimaginable pressure over a period of time in order to be transformed. Do you see the truths God shows us in that? First, He’ll use us even if we’re that ugly piece of carbon and transform us into a diamond or if you’re the plain hunk of limestone He’ll make you as fine and gleaming marble, it may require a lot of heat and pressure, however, in the end you’ll become something you never imagined in your wildest dreams and in ways you never thought were possible.
Cliff Barrows, the Music Director for Billy Graham, once said that “everyone wants to grow, but no one wants to change.” We don’t like change much, we’d rather God wave a magic wand or do something miraculous in our lives and without any effort on our part change us into what He wants us to be. But God isn’t like that and we shouldn’t be either. Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. If we truly want to grow in Christ we need His Holy Word in us, and we need to be ready for change, God will do the rest. Next time you feel the heat, don’t get out of the kitchen, it’s probably God at work in your life shaping, molding, and transforming you into a completely new creature, one who will not look like the original and one that when God is done could not be imagined when He started.
God loves people we don’t…but He expects us to love them anyway. It’s a truth I believe that God loves people we don’t. Jonah knows this truth first hand. God wanted the people of Nineveh to hear the gospel, but Jonah didn’t like the Ninevites and didn’t want to go. I think all of us have had that experience, knowing people we did not like but also knowing that God loved them. As we move through life God will place many people in our path and He’ll call us to minister to many more – don’t allow your personal dislikes to keep you from following God’s will, even when it hurts – after all Christ died for everyone, we should be willing to do the same.
The rain falls on the just and the unjust – bad things do happen to good people. I find myself often frustrated, just like King David and King Solomon, when I see the wicked and the unrighteous succeeding and the righteous suffering. Something inside just doesn’t set right and yet I realize as well that Christ taught us the rain falls equally on the just and the unjust. As I’ve grown older I’ve learned to catch myself when these feelings of injustice strike me just to make sure I don’t allow the emotion of the moment to cloud my judgment. Now when bad things come into my life, as I’m sure they do in yours, I let them draw me closer to Christ and not push me away. Funny, I also noticed I used to have the same challenge when good things came into my life – that for some reason we run to Christ when we’re in trouble or hurting but not always when we’re blessed or succeeding at something. Now I’ve come to see Christ in everything, good and bad, and each day I live brings a greater dependence on him, stronger in my walk and not allowing the successes of the unjust to hinder my walk with Christ.
Cattle are driven – sheep are led – think about it. This is a truth I was taught over thirty years ago that today still speaks to me. So often we want something to happen, we want change or we want to succeed or we want our children to do something like go to college or get a job and we become driven to make it happen. Then I remember that cattle are driven, but sheep are led. As we go about living the life God has granted us remember that He is our Shepherd, not our Cattle Driver, and in-turn, we are to follow that model. Leadership is leading and not driving those who God places under our sphere of influence. We as individuals may be driven by our desire to achieve something, and that’s a good thing – but when it comes to leading people follow Christ’s example, otherwise you’ll see what happens when sheep are driven – they scatter.
I often do not recognize the wisdom God has given my wife. I must confess that as husband, father, and now primary breadwinner in the family I have often overlooked or even discounted my wife’s wisdom. These past few years of growing older however have shown me the error of this. God has given in marriage two people to share in the work and the relationship and He equips each with specific talents, gifts, and wisdom. Ignoring either the husband’s or the wife’s wisdom is handicapping the relationship and cutting short God’s plan for the couple. Now I know that to truly know God’s will one of the first people I seek and pray with about it is my wife – she is wiser than even I can describe and God works great things in me through her. How about your relationship, whether it’s a spouse, a parent, or a brother or sister – are you recognizing the wisdom God has given them as it relates to your life?
And finally – on a more practical and somewhat humorous note here’s two life lessons I’ve learned as definite truths: Never sneeze while brushing your teeth….need I say more, and calories do count, painful but true, what we put in our bellies stays there unless its worked off…speaking of heat and pressure
I pray that God is actively working in your life this week to accomplish His perfect will in you, and I pray that perhaps something I’ve shared here He’ll use to speak to you this week.
In Christ
Wes
