We
all get discouraged by the "sin that so easily trips us up" (Hebrews
12:1). We want to change from our carnality to the image of Jesus, but we struggle
with those pesky temptations to give in to sin. We cannot accept our flaws and
humanity.
We
belittle our self and get frustrated with our mortal tendencies. We want
perfection, and we want it right now. However, this does not allow patience to
have her perfect work in our life (James 1:4), until we change our viewpoint to trust God as we focus on His Word.
We
come to the place where we actually joyfully accept our self - faults and all. This
gives God permission to change our life from the inside out. He is the Potter,
and we are simply a big lump of clay (Romans 9:21). He will mold our character
and life according to His will for us (Ephesians 2:10).
God
is sovereign, and has His own timetable and desires about how to use us for His
glory. Maybe the warts that we despise are actually His tool to attract others
to Himself. Yet, we are afraid to trust Him and His timing, so we try to stay
in control.
I
read about a man that struggled with the stigma of depression, and tried
everything to change this in his life. Finally, he said, "Lord, I am going
to be the greatest depressed person that I can be for Your glory. Then, when
You are ready, You will change me."
It
does not matter what occurs in our day, when we know that God is in control,
and that He will get the glory from everything which He allows to manifest in
our life (Job 2:10). We know without a doubt that He will work out everything
for our benefit (Romans 8:28).
Prayer:
Father
God, believing in Your sovereignty in our life allows us to trust You with our
whole heart and not to allow our human understanding to cause us any anxiety
(Proverbs 3:5-8). You shape us into the vessel that You need us to be in order
to fulfill Your will through our life (2 Timothy 2:20; Isaiah 29:16).
So,
when we see those pesky personality traits that frustrate us, we can trust that
You will trim them away in Your timing and replace them with the fruit of Your
Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We want to glorify You in all that we say and do.
We cannot always control our reactions to life, but as we walk in Your Spirit
and rely only on You, You will allow patience to perfect us (James 1:4).
Thought
for the Day:
Total
surrender of our life to God is difficult at best, and downright agonizing when
we anticipate the worst possible scenario; eventually, however, we come to the
place where, like Jesus, we can pray the prayer that never fails, "Lord,
not my will, but Yours be done." - Luke 22:42
