In His Image

Well, we are getting very close - 3 days. It has been incredible seeing God put everything together; He has been teaching me so much about His character and my own. I am a very analytical thinker - always asking the question "why?" - and known for even asking God questions with multiple choice answers (just in case He hasn't thought of all the possibilities). One of the things I seem to question and deal with regularly is "why is it always me being worked on?". For example, I go to the grocery store and there are numerous carts left all over the lot blocking available parking spaces and posing a potential hazard to cars if they happen to roll away - I park, get out, proceed to the front of the store - all the while passing these uncaroulled carts - and I feel it...'go caroul the carts'. An inner argument ensues because I don't want to caroul the carts and I keep going on; nonetheless, always to turn back and grab the carts. Why me? Why doesn't God convict the other people, preferably the ones that can't seem to walk their carts the few extra feet to their appropriate places.

I also seem to frequently come into contact with people with the same personality traits - yeah, I know, my own - anyway, it is continual and I honestly don't handle it well. I know 'iron sharpens iron' but obviously, or so it would seem, I'm not getting any sharper no matter how often and fast He strikes us together. I fail repeatedly and wish He would just move on to the next test, or maybe, just give me a break for a while - a long while.

But you know, honestly, I wouldn't want God to take a break from me and I am getting a little sharper - I'm sure not as fast as I could if I would just stop fighting Him all the way. I was walking the other evening and having one of these 'why?' moments with God and realized everytime He gives me something to work on He is showing me who He is - Jesus would put the carts up...without arguing about it and throwing a fit - Jesus handles every kind of personality with grace and love...patience...kindness - He doesn't lose His temper or fly off the handle. I am constantly being worked on because there is so much to work on. I am to be transformed into His image and He has promised to continue working that out in me (Phil. 1:6). My greatest desire is to know Him - and I pray for that. I want to know Him - everything about Him and I want my instantaneous responses to be Him and He is answering me. I am seeing who He is - His character, His actions, His love - everytime He gives me something to work on, He is showing me the character He wants me to have - His.