Today I finally started restoring a piece of furniture I have been meaning to paint, and give a new lease of life. As I worked I was reminded how similar the restoration and creative process is to how God works in us. We may, like my bookshelf look a little beaten up, out-dated, and in need of some TLC, but with some care, love and necessary change, we too can be transformed.
However to restore something we must be prepared for some mess, actually from the looks of my garage, perhaps a whole lot of mess. But that’s okay, because mess with a purpose and vision is what I call a beautiful mess. We should never judge the expertise of a master craftsman, surgeon, chef, artist or anyone else for that matter when they are in the midst of their work. Yet how often do we want to retreat and “bale” when God starts to work on restoring us, and we suddenly start to feel like it’s too hard, as our life starts to look messier as He works within us?
When God starts dismantling, sanding back, pruning the unnecessary or unproductive, and removing whatever may hinder our way forward, it more often than not looks like we are one big mess. We can feel exposed, and a little lost as God touches on those things in our lives that have been holding us back, or causing us to get stuck in the same old habits or negative patterns. God is referred to in the bible as a refining fire that burns off all the dross, a gardener who prunes any branches that aren’t producing fruit, and a potter, with us the clay in his hands.
“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2)
It’s important to remember in the midst of the mess, that the work of transformation means being willing to yield, to not run away, and to trust that God always has a plan because He knows what He is doing. There may be some mess involved, but thankfully in His hands it is always constructive mess.
Today whether you are feeling all together, or in the midst of being a mess; be encouraged that as you trust and allow God to work, He promises He will make something beautiful out of your mess, and before long you too will have a new lease of life, purpose, and joy.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
Prayer: Lord thank you that you are faithful to complete what you have started in me. Help me to trust you even when it looks like my life is a mess, and to “stay put” in your hands so that you can perfect that which you have started in me. In Jesus Name Amen.