Metamorphosis
Be transformed by the renewing of the mind
Romans 12:2
The Triune God is about the business of transforming us world lings to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This transformation is arduous and at times painful.
God is a like a skilled physician who is operating on our lives, patiently bringing healing and wholeness to our broken condition.
He is not frazzled and He is not fazed by our protestations. Rather, He simply skillfully pokes and probes at our soul as He accomplishes His work.Eugene Peterson wrote about this process in an experience he had in life:
“A number of years ago I had a knee injury that I self-diagnosed. I knew that all it needed was some whirlpool treatments. ..The only place in our community where there was a whirlpool was at the physical therapists. I called to make an appointment. He refused; I had to have a doctor’s prescription. I called an orthopedic physician, went in for an examination (this was getting more expensive and complicated than I had planned), and found that he would not give me the prescription for the whirlpool. He said it wasn’t the proper treatment for my injury.
I protested: it certainly can’t do any harm and it might do some good. His refusal was adamantine. He was a professional. His primary commitment was to some invisible abstraction called health, healing. He was not committed to satisfying my requests. His integrity, in fact, forbade him to satisfy my requests if they encroached on his primary commitment. I have since learned that by a little shopping around I could have found a doctor who would have given me the prescription I wanted.”
O how this rings true. God’s primary commitment is to our wholeness not our happiness. He doesn’t just satisfy our requests to suite our fancy. His integrity demands He address what is wrong not just what we want.
A little shopping can get you an idol that pacifies your whim’s but leaves you in worse shape than before.
Trust yourself to the great physician- you are not the first patient He’s had.
Because of grace,
Tim
