Summer Happenings

On this July 9th, summer is still in full swing. It’s hard to believe (in light of the summer I’ve been having) that I’ve only been soaking up the sun (yeah right) for two months. I really regret my lack of posts, because I’ve had some great stories. I think my favorite, and most frequently told, are the ones born during Apples to Apples. If you’ve never played, go and buy it. Seriously. Today.

Wait. I changed my mind. My favorite stories aren’t the Apples to Apples ones. My favorites are the ones of spiritual growth and activity that I hear from my friends. The first involves a friend who has befriended some of the local homeless people that hang out near his summer job. He’s on a first name basis with several of them. One of them even accepted his invitation to join him at church, where he saw her smile for the first time since he’s known her.

The story makes me smile, too.

The second story involves a friend who is vocalizing her frustration with the way believers mistreat others because of their sin, specifically homosexuality. She wrote an eloquently respectful letter to her pastor addressing the issue. I don’t think I told her, but I’m so proud. Most people (including myself) would have just complained and left it at that. She took a stand.

My spiritual activity this summer wasn’t really activity on my part, but on God’s. It was internal, and it was tough. I realized that I’m critical and judgmental. (Looking at that is still just as tough as realizing it for the first time.)

I often wonder why God leaves it up to us, to humans, to be His hands and feet and mouth when we are more likely to fail than to succeed. (See the critical shining through?) But then I remember that God sees beyond our failures, and He disregards our strengths. When I surrender to Him, He molds me. (I say “When I surrender to Him” as if I could do anything but, in light of who He is and what He’s done for me.) When I puff up, He deflates me. When I do anything without acknowledging Him, success is out of reach.

Anyway, to tie the two previous paragraphs together, I’m so thankful for the Lord’s rebuke. I’m thankful that He has called me and given me purpose, and I’m grateful that He refines me. I pray that I and my friends will forever be sensitive to the Spirit, that we will be full of love, not pride, and hold fast to the promise that the Refiner will carry on to completion the work He has begun in us.