“A piece of black ebony wood was being cut and broken by a woodmaker. The wood complained but the woodmaker desisted from bowing to the complaints. He was carving a flute. The woodmaker seemed to be saying, ‘Little piece of wood. You think that I am hurting and abusing you but without these holes and cutting, you would not be able to bring others beautiful music to soothe their souls and calm their hurts and fears for a time.’”

Pain is the great motivator. It can be and often is God’s wake-up call to help us change and grow. So who wants to change and grow when everything is going great? Not me. I only grow when I am uncomfortable with the way things are or the way I am. And that’s the way it’s meant to be. God wants to make “beautiful music” out of your life and mine. It’s up to us to allow him to do so. The process at times can be painful, but the end result can be something beautiful.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, I surrender my heart and life to You. Please help me to become the person You want me to be so that my life will be an instrument of peace and harmony in Your hands to touch the lives of all with whom I come into contact. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. The Apostle Paul (Romans 5:3-4, NIV).