Some Things Take Time – Lessons from Ella
Instant coffee, instant oatmeal, and instant rice are things I can do without. I prefer the ritual and aroma of a pour-over, the slow cooking of steel-cut oats, which is healthier anyway, and instant rice has one purpose, to feed a backpacker in the woods. Yet, I want the solutions to life’s challenges to be instant. I keep telling myself, some things take time. Rushing the process will produce, poor tasting coffee, mushy oatmeal, and mealy rice. More importantly, I will likely miss what the journey has to offer, character development intended for spiritual growth and sanctification.
Granted, coffee, oatmeal, and rice all take a short amount of time to get the desired result. But, rushing through a sought after goal, a difficult circumstance, or a challenging season of life, will likely lead to disappointment, with a longer than expected timeline and discouragement, by unmet expectations. Why? because some things take time.
Do not rush the process
When Michelangelo was asked about the creation of one of his greatest works, David, he said, “the sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” I feel like God is doing a significant amount of chiseling to get rid of my “superfluous material.” Some days it feels more like chainsaw carving (the kind you see on the side of a country road).
What is this all about?
Where am I going with all this rambling? Well, this is about a dog named Ella. The dog that came into my life a year ago and has revealed more about myself than I cared to know. She has pointed out the “superfluous material” that needs chiseling, or perhaps more appropriately, chain-sawing.
What God reveals
The chiseling and cutting process is painful. I hate to admit it, but there are an abundance of character flaws and some deep soul work to undertake. To name just a few things:
- You don’t always get what you want
- Changing behavior, the dog’s or mine, takes lots of time
- Instant anything is not that desirable
- Expectations can easily be synonymous with disappointment
- Tossing in the towel isn’t a good option.
From time to time, God needs to do some extra chiseling to carve away the “superfluous material” and reveal the greater beauty that lies within. He just happened to send the chisel in the form of a dog named Ella.
Amazing the forms a chisel can take!….
Ah, I guess there is much more to this story? I used to tell my kids that anything easily achieved was not likely going to be very satisfying. Enjoy the journey!
Much more 😉
Oh how this applies to my life right now! Thank you for your inspiring words. They are an affirmation of my journey right now.
Prayers for your journey, Michelle
Your thoughts on life….so true! Thanks
Love you , friend !
Ella, God’s chisel. She’s a beauty and a bit of an enigma. I’m so thankful you are open to God’s handiwork with this one. Prayers continue
for this journey. Can’t wait to see how God is going to work this out. Love you friend!