Her soft snores punctuated the stillness. At first, I
couldn't make sense of the sound. But a quick glance in the direction of the
living room confirmed my suspicions. My cat, Courtney, lay curled up on one of
the chairs, fast asleep, gray fur sticking up in all directions.
Most cats enjoy being groomed. Not Courtney. She's quick to
jump up on the couch to share some family time, and just as quick to jump down
if I try to get in a few strokes with her brush. Oddly enough, when I attempt
to hold her still and do a more thorough job, she actually purrs. Done
regularly, the frequent brushings keep the mats in her fur to a minimum, and I
can groom Courtney quickly. It seems that although she's not crazy about the
process, she feels better once she's brushed.
Reminds me of the often painful refining process the Lord
applies in my life. I long to be the type of vessel the Lord can use, yet I'm not quite as eager
to sign up for the furnace experiences that help me become that useful, highly
polished tool. Much like Courtney, I'm not keen on things that cause discomfort
or pain - although I recognize the value of the experiences once I'm on the
other side.
Case in point. The flight where I was given the opportunity
to share Christ with a fellow passenger. I had a list of things to keep me busy
for quite some time. In fact, I was actually looking forward to the down time
to get some things done. But then the gentleman across from me started a
conversation. It would have been easy to give a brief answer and turn back to
my work.
The truth was, I had prayed that very morning to be used as
a witness. Did I really mean what I said? Or had it just been a routine prayer?
It wasn't comfortable to give up my free time, but I knew the Lord had
orchestrated the opportunity. As I spoke with the man, I could almost feel the
Lord scouring the selfishness from me.
God's Word is full of truths that, when applied, act as
cleansing agents. Powerful purifiers that remove the things from my life that make me rough
around the edges. The Apostle Paul describes it accurately, "For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," (Hebrews
4:12; KJV).
But one trip to the Master Refiner is not enough. Just like
Courtney needs a daily brushing, I need daily refining. I know that the process
is difficult, but the end result will be a clear reflection of my Master.
Is the Lord refining you? How will you cooperate with Him in
this process today?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me enough to
scour the rough edges from me. Help me to 'hold still' and let You accomplish
Your work in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!
A re-post from 11/2011
This is a great post, Maria.
ReplyDeleteGod is refining me...I feel it. Really more in the last month. I've experienced some real physical pain (my knee). Then there has been the pain of loss, and also rejection. Each hurts terribly, but differently. I know he's showing me something, but I haven't quite put my finger on it. I just hope he doesn't have to drop a ton of bricks on my head for me to grasp it...lol.
Ouch... been there, done that. Although I am a very outgoing person, I noticed that sometimes I am not willing to share my time with a stranger, who has been put in my path by the Lord himself of course :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Maria, good for self refelction
Oh yes, I relate! I want Him to use me, but just fit it into my schedule, okay Lord? :) I so often sigh inwardly when something messes with my schedule. I'm praying for eyes to see and a heart to listen WHENEVER God uses me...even when it is an "interruption", because really, how often do I interrupt Him??
ReplyDelete