The Well

HE'S STILL WORKING ON ME!

Any time I see a reference to the "heart," I automatically go back to when God sent Samuel to anoint a new king after King Saul's open rebellion. God gave Samuel explicit instructions to go to the house of Jesse, but He didn't tell him which son He had chosen. Samuel thought it was Eliab, the tallest, best looking son, but God quickly corrected his thinking. I Samuel 16:7 records this, "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance of height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."

I once worked for a ministry that did everything possible to not base decisions on appearance. I'll never forget when a young man came to the office while preparing for a two week evangelism tour through Alabama's prisons. He was so polite and respectful of an old woman like me, and that respect made me want to know his story.

For years he served the Lord as a highly respected and effective youth minister. However, no one knew he had a dark side; an addiction to pornography. Eventually the Lord convicted him of his sin, he confessed to his pastor, and was given the opportunity to confess to his congregation. His church embraced him and helped him make a new start, but he was no longer trusted in the position of youth pastor. Quite a paradox isn't it? One would think he would be more effective once clean, but he was denied that chance.

This man was put through the fire. He never turned his back on the church, he remained faithful. His faithfulness was noticed by another man who eventually offered him a job with the ministry. He is doing an awesome work for the Lord, but he still maintains the discipline of reporting to an accountability group.

The church still looks on the outward appearance, but God still looks on the heart. Many times, He allows the circumstances of our lives to purify our motives, just as a refiner's fire purifies silver and gold. As our anger and jealousy boil to the surface during the trials of life, those times when our actions are misunderstood or we are denied opportunities to serve, we can turn to God, confess our attitude with a repentant heart, and walk in His forgiveness. He can be trusted. He will restore us. He will turn our woes to wows!

Are you being tested? Is your heart sore? Offer to the Lord a sacrifice of praise today. Allow Him to embrace you with His powerful presence of peace. He knows the intent of your heart, and He will bring you through. We can sing,
"He's still working on me, to make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be. He's still working on me."