a house can't build itself...

We make plans to build or rebuild our lives, sometimes from clear ground but often from a mess that that either we or others have created. These are mostly noble plans with good intentions. We ask God to bless our work, help us in overcoming obsticles, barriers and unforseen problems. Call Him our miracle provider.

In this time of rebuilding my life, I've noticed through my actions and prayers I seem to consider myself the main builder with God there to guide and help me along the way. My understanding is I need to give my full effort, as this is what God expects from me. Perhaps others also have this flawed view.

Flawed view? Are we not supposed to do our part, give 100% and God will do what we can't do? If this is the 'formula', why have so many things that I have put 110% of my heart and effort into failed?? And even now while I am resting and rebuilding, why isn't there progress with my efforts? Have I failed or not done enough?

A friend just shared a scripture with me from Jeremiah 31. If you take a moment to read it, ask the question 'Who was doing the rebuilding?' Was the house being restored by the building materials themselves, or is God the one rebuilding?

Well it seems kind of ridiculous that the building material would start reassembling itself into a house. Pretty neat trick if it could be done. What makes us think we can restore our own lives? We have been conditioned to beleive that we ourselves must make the effort. The problem is, no matter how hard we try our efforts fail. Someone else must do the building. The builder. And we shouldn't interfere much in the process, let The Pro handle it.

Although I'm not much of a builder, I've been thinking about the sawmill project in Norway. I remember pouring the foundation and all the preperation that took place to get it just right. It took many days before the foundation was ready to build on. Putting up walls is much more interesting and seems more produtive, but without a proper foundation those walls would just fall down.

Isn't it the same way in our lives? We want to see the walls come up fast, yet the builder knows He needs to get the foundation right first. But we keep picking up the hammer, building walls which we think are good, without the wisdom The Builder has. Ephesians 2:10 say's we are God's workmanship, not our own.

We just need to learn to trust The Builder's hands.