Thorns and our flesh ....

The word scatter brain comes to mind.  The word forgetful comes to mind.  Rabbit trails, day dreamer, unorganized, can't spell, slow learner, confused by the rungs on the ladder I was supposed to be climbing, nervous in unfamiliar situations, a scholastic nightmare (Learning Disability reared its ugly head)...

Are you getting a mental picture of a mess?

I used to cringe as these words from others or myself when they flew unguarded through my mind.  Once upon a time I slipped into a fog  of doubt at the realization that this may be me.

Of course you know the next line.

"... than Jesus came and all that went away and I became a new person...

Well, it didn't.  Years after walking with my savior through good and bad times.  Conviction and mercy, easy and hard times, growing and messing up.  He never took away those attributes from my personality.

He just would mold on my clay form a bit and stand back and say

"Gorgeous"

I would step down from His work place ready to take on the world only to realize I was still all those things. One day I asked very quietly and sadly...

"Why?"

He just smiled and said "I love you exactly how you are.  I made you with a specific purpose.  No go into the World..  just be who you are!"

Just because some of our vines don't look appealing to us or others, if they are used for Him and they are bearing fruit, they will remain.
Some of His pruning on those branches may hurt a bit but some of our most difficult attributes are there for purpose, to keep us close to Him... ever leaning on Him... ever in need of Him.  Many times, these things bring forth fruit that would never been there with out the thorns.

I realized, finally...  God never intended me to be that 'in step', all the time with it, put together, soaring in the clouds, confident girl I wanted to be.   What He wanted was...

"A soul broken by her many imperfections.  A soul ready for the masters call, a soul in need, a soul ready to encourage because she had been encouraged, a soul that is often messy and forgetful, unorganized and unsteady, because, when I do shine...

It all points to Him and His mercy and His grace and His love and His joy and His gifts...  Its all about Him then!

So if you find yourself a little off que... If you find yourself a little like me... If you find 'what ever your thorn may be... Just think...

You are right where He needs you to be!



Why I think what I think:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made
He is the potter, the divine maker of you
pruning the vines
Thorns in our flesh