Today God Is First - Devotions on AdversitySample

Today God Is First - Devotions on Adversity

DAY 12 OF 18

Embracing the Mess

A friend and I run together through a new home subdivision. Often we see the street filled with red clay from the land as bulldozers clear it to lay a foundation. The job site is littered with lumber, all sorts of trash from workers, and is generally a mess.

The house looks ugly; it has all its insides exposed as it is being pieced together, yet this process is necessary to get to the finished product. When completed, the home is beautiful. The landscaping looks like it came out of a home-design magazine. Everything is clean and perfect in order for the new home- owner to move in.

Our walk with God is much the same process. Often we must go through a messy period of our lives in which all aspects of it are in disarray. It is in these times that God builds a new structure. He might remove some structural timbers in our lives and replace them with new ones. He might even add on another room. And unless this process takes place, we will never see the end product. The goal is more Christlikeness. In order to achieve this in us, He requires a period of removing all that is not of Him. It can be a painful process.

It would be impossible to keep oxen in a barn without having to clean up the mess from time to time. It just comes with the territory, but the result of the oxen is an abundant harvest. God may be allowing a mess in order to ensure a fruitful harvest in your life. Learn from Him so that you might experience the fulfillment of His purposes for you in these times.

Scripture

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Today God Is First - Devotions on Adversity

TGIF, Today God Is First is a daily devotional by Os Hillman designed to encourage you and to bring the presence of God into your work life. With topics such as the theology of work, overcoming adversity, integrity, leadership, calling, relationships, and becoming a chance agent, these devotionals will be sure to inspire and equip you to live out your calling to the workplace!

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