Are you willing to be a carpenter?

Because that's what God may be calling you to.

God’s been showing me some important things this week. That continued this morning, and it has led me to a question: “Are you willing to be a carpenter?” It’s a question I’m asking myself and that I want to ask you.

I explain this more in my paid supporter video this week, but as I was meditating on Psalm 69 this week I was drawn to the study note on verses 9-12 in the Life Recovery Bible. It says this: “God is more concerned about rebuilding our character than he is about restoring our reputation.”

That hit me. Hard. Because God decided he really needed to work on my character over the last couple weeks at the expense (seemingly) of my reputation.

I know that because he pounded me over the head with it this morning while I was reading my devotional, Experiencing God. I want to show you what Henry Blackaby writes. And it has to do with the opening question of this post:

Don’t be in a hurry to be constantly engaged in activities for God. He may spend years preparing your character or developing your love relationship with Him before He gives you a large assignment. […] Remain faithful in what He has told you to do, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may appear. God knows what He is doing. Focus on deepening your communion with God, and out of that fellowship will inevitably flow effective service for God.

Jesus was twelve when He went about the Father’s business in the temple. Yet, He was thirty before He began the public ministry God had prepared Him for. The Son of God spent several years as a carpenter, waiting until the Father was ready for Jesus to begin His public ministry. […] Be patient and learn to trust Him. God will first build some basic foundations into your life before He gives you a larger role in service to Him.

The bolded sections above jumped out to me. We know Jesus had the knowledge for his assignment, right? He was teaching much older men in the temple at 12. And yet, he still spent time preparing for 18 more years.

18 years.

And during that time, he was a faithful carpenter.

Friend, that leads me to the question: Are you willing to be a carpenter in this season? In the next?

I’m asking that. God has me in a season where I am wondering many times why what he has called me to do isn’t quite taking off like I think it should. (That doesn’t mean it’s not advancing or doing well, I just have an idea of how it should be going.) But I know he’s called me to it. I know it! And yet, there is still waiting. Hoping. Praying.

And what he has showed me this week is that he’s forming character in me. He’s calling me to be a carpenter. And with every swing of my hammer he is swinging his own, molding me into who I need to be in order to do what he’s called me to do.

Perhaps that’s the perspective he wants you to see in this season as well. If so, welcome to the carpenter’s guild. I didn’t realize I was a member for as long as I have been, but I’m embracing it.

Or at least trying to.

Maybe you should, too.

By the way, if you’re interested in watching this week’s video, you can click below: