God has been showing me recently that He uses three tools over and over in order to shape and form us into His likeness and image. Those three tools are suffering, lack and delay. And yet perhaps God would call these things training, discipline and appropriate timing. But nonetheless God allows things to come into our lives in order that we might be shaped to be like Him. He allows us to be tested and tried. He allows us to experience difficulties that are too much for us to bear. He withholds things from us in order that we might look to Him for provision and understanding. And He calls upon us to wait for His perfect timing rather than trying to force an imperfect “solution”.
In my life I find that I often complain about these things. Often from my limited (and selfish, pride-filled perspective) I believe that God is putting on me more than I can really handle or He is withholding the supply that I know He has but isn’t releasing or He isn’t coming soon enough with the solution that I have asked Him for. But as these three things keep coming at me again and again I am beginning to believe that God actually desires that we have all of these occurrences in our lives in order to cause us to trust Him more and become more like Him!
So when you face something that seems to beyond you, it may very well be that God is using things in your life to bring you to a place of brokenness and emptiness in order that you might call out to Him in desperation and allow Him to shape you in humility and holiness. This week when you wonder why something is happening, change your questioning into a patient observance of God at work making something beautiful in you!
Pastor Michael Johnson 