I was hardly listening to the song. The music and lyrics were just wafting in the background. In one moment, though, one particular line jumped out and sang hope to my heart: "There are victories yet to come. They are certain as the rising of the sun!" (Matt Maher, Great is Your Faithfulness)
Victories. Coming.
Certain and sure! This does my heart such good to remember.
God knows how utterly
frustrated I am with the places in my life and heart that are still bent,
broken, and in need of victory. He knows the disappointment, resentment
and anger I can feel at myself, at my sin.
Yesterday, while praying for a
particular long-standing "issue" of heart and sinful thinking, I had
a clear picture in my mind. Most of you know this last year I have taken
up watercolor painting. One of the MOST difficult disciplines that I
struggle with in painting (aside from my desire to paint perfectly), is the
time it takes to let it dry between stages. You have to be really
patient. Almost all my "fails", hands down, in painting, thus
far... have come from rushing the process or being impatient. It really doesn't
work to rush it. You have to paint one layer, one “wash”--- and then let
it dry completely. In this humid climate, even more, this reality has
brought much annoyance to my impatient self.
The painting in each stage looks chaotic, messy, and the picture
is very unclear. It’s not very pretty---
sometimes not at all. The end picture is
barely discernible.
Instinctively, I want to move
on quickly, keep painting... make the chaos that is wash one or wash two, into something I can discern or make
out. I want to see it complete. But, in all honesty, I almost ruin
most of my paintings when I rush and move on too soon.
This was the picture that came
to my mind as I was asking Father about this particular issue of sin and pattern
of wrong thinking in my life... He showed me watercolor
painting.
Creative God... painting His
masterpiece--- me (and you!)... is always at work. He is faithful and
says in His word, He will bring us to completion. (Philippians 1:6)
He will bring us into perfection! Scripture tells us we can be confident
of this--- "as sure as the rising of the sun!" But, in
Philippians, He also clearly states that this completion happens in time. The process works it's way out until the 'day
of Christ Jesus'--- meaning when the Kingdom comes in it's
fullness.
He's is just on a second,
third, or fourth layer of paint on me!
I want to be done. I want
to see it's completion. All the things in me, in those I love, and in
this world around me--- I want them perfect. Yesterday, please!
But, be of good cheer, my
friends! I speak to my soul, "Be of good cheer,
Stephanie!" He is at work. He is faithful. He
is good. If the good work has begun in you, then He will indeed bring it to
completion. It is certain and sure.
"There are victories
yet to come! They are certain as the rising of the sun. Great is Your
faithfulness---always and forever!"
*the paintings above are not my paintings.... Just lovely wash art by others--- free online to use.
*the paintings above are not my paintings.... Just lovely wash art by others--- free online to use.
