It’s never easy, is it? When God starts working in our lives. . .why are we surprised when it hurts occasionally?

When we pray that God will make us into the woman He wants us to be, what do we expect to happen after that? If I pray that God will show me what needs to change in my life, why is it so easy to be shocked at what He reveals is wrong?

Suddenly those routines in life, habits even, become the object of scrutiny. Spending time checking email isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is if it’s preventing something better from being done. All of a sudden the good is becoming the enemy of the best.

God has really been working in my life lately. He has shown me many things in my life that need to change. It’s as if little by little, He’s pruning off the dead wood in my life. The unproductive branches. The unsightly growth that’s preventing fruit from being produced.

Nicknames from high school that once were worn as badges of honor are now seen as reminders of an obnoxious, uncouth me that needs to change.

Venting sessions to my husband about my hurt feelings begin to become reminders of Proverbs 10:19 – “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” Reminders to me that the only thing really wrong with the situation is that I’m having a bad attitude.

Letting my feelings get hurt over silly and trivial things becomes a reminder that I am too self-centered and that that is another thing that must change.

It is humbling to go to a sister in Christ to ask for forgiveness when we have been wrong. It is so freeing though, when we know that it will help us become more like Christ, because we are starting to see our faults more and more. Perhaps the next time I can prevent a similar situation from occurring.

God is pruning me. For what – I’m not entirely sure. Does it really matter? As long as I know that He is pruning me into His image – do I really have to demand an answer as to the , “Why?” He will show me in His time.

How is God pruning your life? Are you letting Him? Have you surrendered yourself to Him and asked that He make you like Himself?

Yesterday I sent Little man to the bathroom so he could get started trying to get his pants off while I finished what I was doing and made my way there. I arrived in the room to see him taking the toilet brush and attempting to clean the bowl. I took the brush from him, wiped the seat, set him on there, and promptly forgot about the incident.

This morning, I had squirted some cleaner into the bowl, but was letting it soak a moment while I was sorting laundry. Little man walked into the room, took one look at the toilet, and announced to me that it was, “Icky, Mommy.” After I scrubbed the bowl and flushed it, he looked at me and said, “Thank you.” Apparently it wasn’t clean enough to start with to please him.

Just this afternoon he grabbed the broom to sweep the floor for me. I asked him what he was doing. “Mess.”

Wow. I guess I’m going to have to step up my housekeeping!