FLUBS, FLAWS and BRITTLENESS

"I must not be disheartened when I flub in my spiritual life. A lot of flubs are not sins, just mistakes, and mistakes are the marks of immaturity and greenness. An infant makes endless mistakes, but is parents do not give up on him -- they realize he is an infant. They know that he will outgrow a lot of his childishness.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ I must believe in progressive satisfaction. When God begins a work, the result thereof must be His satisfaction. His creation was very good. He viewed the work of His Son on Calvary and was satisfied. So I believe He is progressively satisfied with His work in His children, especially His growing children. This does not mean that our condition at a given moment is perfect morally, but it means that, like a potter, He is satisfied with our progress.

This also means that I must forget comparison with others. Comparison means we are at the same point, on the same level. But no two children of God are ever at precisely the same point, on the same level. I must not therefore, compare myself to David Brainerd, Henry Martyn, or Jim Elliot. I must only ask God if He is satisfied with my progress at a given moment. If He is, all is well, even though flaws and specs appear in my makeup.

The basic thing God looks for in me is not the absence of flaws but the presence of moldable clay. He can easily work out the flaws, but He cannot do a thing with clay that is hard, brittle, and crumbly. Brittleness means I have been hurt somewhere along the line and have not
gotten over it.

Lord, I want to be the best clay, soft and conformable to Your image! You ask, 'Can I not . . . deal with you as this potter does?' (Jeremiah 18:6) Yes, Lord, You can -- abundantly, perfectly, eternally." from DAILY WITH THE KING by W. Glyn Evans