Scratching the surface

I closed my front door, locked it and turned to get in

the car.  As I approached my car door my heart sank.

There beneath the door handle stretched numerous tiny

hairline scratches on the paintwork, barely visible.

I scolded myself for being careless with my huge bunch

of keys:  ‘Be more careful’ I yelled inwardly.  ‘Those

keys are damaging the car’!

A few days later the same thing happened! Dismay filled my heart once again when I noticed there were even more hairline scratches around the door handle!

What? I asked myself. ‘How can this be? I had been so careful!    My car was slowly being damaged, scratch by scratch. I must try harder.

The next day my heart sank still lower. More scratches? Really? Is someone spinning a yarn? They were indeed! As I ran my finger across the scratches, I found the scratches weren’t scratches at all!  They were the tiny delicate silken threads of a money spider who had taken up residence in the door handle!

What appeared to be damage turned out to be a construction zone.

From the tender age of seventeen Joseph was betrayed, almost killed, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned for ten to twelve years. Yet the palace became his construction site preparing Joseph to later become leader of Egypt, saving his family, his people, and many lives.       Joseph saw beyond the damage to the construction zone:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.   Gen 50:20

Does it feel like all you can see is damage? Broken wings, broken relationships, broken heart, broken spirit, broken reputation, broken self-esteem? You may see damage, but God sees construction. You are a building in progress!    For it is only through trouble that character grows.

With Love  Rev Gill x

In all things God works for the good of those who love him. Ro 8:28