God Takes Broken Things and Makes Them Beautiful

I am not much of a shopper. If I ever go on a shopping trip with a friend, I promise you it is the company that I am interested in and not the purchasing. Going to an auction and buying antiques is an entirely different story. I love taking something old and beat up and bringing it back to life. Whether it is a simple cleaning job with little toothbrushes or a complete makeover with sanding and staining, I just love creating something new from something worn. I am not even put off with scratches or gouges. To me, those marks only add to the patina.
Becoming that new creature in Christ is the same way. God can take some of the most broken people in life and develop in them a beautiful Christ-like impression or appearance. It is amazing to me how God can take such great care in crafting people into incredible citizens of heaven. The catch is that we must allow God to work in our life. If we embrace God’s ways, He will build inside of us an enduring spirit. God can give you a spirit so new that even you never knew it was possible.
If you have ever done any woodworking, you know that it is painstaking. So is stepping into your new life with Christ. You must have a heart for God, an understanding of Who God is, a trust in God, and gratitude for what is in your life. All these things will build a steadfast spirit that will then help you discover joy, peace, and contentment.
I think all of us have tried some fake feel-good hollow faith. Maybe we did it because it looked like an excellent short cut and we are a little bit on the lazy side. The next one hurts me to say because I have been this person before, but maybe we were flat-out being disobedient and did not want to do what God was asking us to do.
Psalm 37:3-5 shows us how to walk into our new life. “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires (petitions) of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” I added the word petition to help you understand what the word desire actually means. When we fully trust God and are willing to be obedient, He will give you that incredible hunger and thirst for His will. Becoming a child-of-God is not just about walking away from the old life; it is fully embracing your position in God’s family. Let’s all willingly and enthusiastically walk in the liberty that Christ offers us because what the Son sets free is free indeed.

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L. Kathleen Cline

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