Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Article: The Mess & Noise of Sanctification

Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. Provebs 29:23

This is well worth the time to read this piece by Eric Owens to get the blessings contained within.

The Mess and Noise of Sanctification

Here's a teaser: 

"That’s always my reaction to exposed sin in others: surprise. I am, though, never surprised at my own sin; we’ve become quite familiar with one another over the years. He is always close at hand, ready and willing to act, think, and speak his nature. And that’s discouraging. That is, it’s discouraging when I’m sinful and I forget to remember the promises that God has given to me. To you. To us all, His people, His church.

...

What I see as upsetting episodes and unnecessary drama in my home, hour after hour, day after day, God sees as me as a husband and a father being polished, being made smoother, being refined, being sanctified. He’s giving me exercises for my soul.
I fail to see it because I’m concentrating on my failures. But the reality is that my failures today are fewer than my failures last week. I get angered less often, my patience is growing longer, my short fuse is lengthening and so on. I’m a better husband today than I’ve ever been if only because eight years of marriage has shown me, in the teary reflection of my wife’s eyes, just what a jerk I can be."
It's an article which touched me and several of my friends. Sanctification is happening right where you are in the seemingly simple things of life if you are humbling yourself before the Lord and submitting to His work. 
Men, if you are wondering, being humble before the Lord does not weaken you in the eyes of a godly woman because she knows the strength it takes and the rewards that come from being that kind of Christian.