Reconstruction

Run through a new home subdivision and often 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 -usually 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 homeowner 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. God may be allowing a mess in order to ensure a fruitful harvest in your life.

Eight years ago, Ann and I felt God calling us to leave the comfort of our horse ranch and counseling practice in Birmingham to go minister to students at a small Christian college. What a mess in preparation for and involvement in selling all and relocating. Three months later Ann died. More disarray and pain. Personal upheaval continued with being fired (in my opinion, very unjustifiably). Vocational doors were soundly blocked for me. Reconstruction took place and I'm now enjoying a peace, contentment, fulfillment and joy at a depth I've never experienced before.

Painful process but what a great product.

adapted from Os Hillman