As I looked down at my shoes this morning, I noticed the mud that was caked on them. I grabbed another pair. Mud. Pretty much all of my shoes have a bit of mud on them right now.
They’re muddy because I’ve been walking through my backyard quite a bit lately. You see, we’re in the middle of a renovation in our yard. We’re fixing a problem that once done, will make the slope of our yard go away from our home and garage instead of towards it.
In order to fix the problem, things have to get messy first. Dirt and rock have to be moved. Foundations have to be sealed. I anticipate the work will take longer than I think it will. I’m okay with that because the final outcome will be a healthy yard. It means a yard that doesn’t drown when the rains come and a basement wall that doesn’t leak.
It’s the same when we grow personally. There are times that God allows the dirt and the mud to be there. It’s gonna get messy. At times, it may be more than just our shoes getting dirty. It could mean we’re caked in muck from head to toe. Sometimes we need to get dirty while we ourselves are in the middle of restoration. It’s not fun or easy, but the payoff could mean growth and a closer relationship with the One who the earth cries out it’s praises to.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT)
