Sanding

With a simple square of sandpaper we can accomplish all sorts of things.  We can remove color, blemishes or undesirable details.  We may sand a surface or an object to alter its appearance, make it smoother or make it more receptive to another finish.  When we sand, we often remove that which is superficial.

Have you ever felt like God was "sanding" you?  Or allowing life's circumstances to?  I have.  I can easily recall a period of time in my life where I felt like I was not only being sanded, but sand-blasted.  I felt raw and vulnerable.  It hurt.  I didn't like it.  Many days the force was so strong I felt as though I was bleeding internally and occasionally it seem the blood oozed out through my pores, becoming visible to the world around me.

I was angry with God for a time.  How could He allow me to be so miserable?  But when I sought Him for answers, I felt His hand on me.  I don't understand it all but I know that He does.  And I know that He has allowed times of "sanding" in my life to strip away that which is superficial so that I could see what really mattered.  And so that I would be drawn to Him and be able to more fully receive from His hand in the future.

Sanding is dusty and gritty.  It is tempting to avoid it...both in our craft projects and in our lives.  In my experience with both, short-cutting is never worth it in the end.  A thing of beauty takes time and effort.  A life of beauty takes obedience and a humble submission to all that God has to teach us with each life experience.