Something isn't straight

Let's talk together, just you and I. There are some things about your character that make you wince...am I right? An attitude, a thought pattern, and when it rises up in you, you feel icky, because you know it's not of Christ.

Now you've been a Christian for a while, but this thing is still there. You can act correctly, so no one really knows what's running through your head, but somehow that makes you feel worse. If you look godly on the outside, shouldn't the inside line up a little better? You pray, you study, you KNOW, but it's still there.

When an artist works with natural materials, the first thing she does is clean it up. A stone for instance will have junk stuck to the outside that you dust off, wash away. Once it's clean, you can see the natural shape of it. The same with wood. And with wood, there are often natural flaws--something about the way the tree grew that leaves a knot or bend that makes that piece unique. Artists often love the natural flaws. As an artist, you don't always seek to correct it. Sometimes, you showcase it.

When the Lord cleans you up, knocks off all the loose junk attached to you, there will still be some natural flaws. This is the point in your Christ walk that you will think, "That's the way I am. God made me that way." And you might think it's okay to showcase that particular flaw.

But our God is not an artist; He is a builder. He is making a foundation in you and building His kingdom on your life (not your own character, but His kingdom--I may need to blog on that concept), and that is not a place for flaws. Do you know how He corrects a deep bent in your character? Pain. Difficulty. Adversity. The oven gets really hot, the trials get really tough, and you are not having fun. But on the other side, sometimes without you noticing it, you are a little straighter, a little stronger. Is your heart so tuned to Christ that you want that?