Recyclable You

Although, I don't watch it as often as I once did, HGTV is a favorite of mine. It's a great place to get ideas to spice up your living environment. Of particular interest to me are the shows that seek out flea market finds and then turn those items into something impressive. After they've finished dressing them up a bit, they no longer look like rejects  suited for the garbage dumpster. Instead they look like new, store bought items deemed for a place of honor.

Most times they have to do some cosmetic work on the items. Stripping them of paint, sanding, cutting, painting and polishing are all required before the transformation is complete. Not unlike ourselves, who require some remodeling before we're ready to enter the spotlight of our God given roles. He has to strip away the painting from our old selves. You'll find that it's necessary for Him to do a pit of sanding as well. Sanding causes irritation. Do you find yourself being a bit irritable? Could it be that God is sanding to expose some areas that need to be addressed in your life?

For most of the furniture, sanding is required in order to allow the new paint to stick. The new ideas, mindset, and instructions He wants to give us will be unable to adhere without Him getting in there and scuffing up the old. I believe God wants to paint new anointings, new assignments, new connections, new creativity, and new ingenuity into our lives but we must endure the complete makeover. No skipping steps allowed. If we walk out only after the stripping or sanding has been done, we leave ourselves vulnerable to our enemy. Trying to skip past to the painting and polishing may make us appear ready but in the end the old stuff-our way of thinking and behaving-show through.

Lord, I don't always find the stripping, sanding, painting and polishing to be comfortable. But help to remain humble and submitted to you as you complete your perfect work.