We have two seasons: winter and road construction. Harsh winters damage
road surfaces, so repair crews begin their work as soon as the ice melts and
the ground thaws. Although we call this work “construction,” much of what they
do looks like “destruction.” In some cases, simply patching holes is not an
option. Workers have to replace the old road with a new one.
That’s what it can feel like when God is at work in our lives.
Throughout the Old Testament, God told His people to expect some major
renovation on the road between Him and them (Isa. 62:10-11; Jer. 31:31). When
God sent Jesus, it seemed to the Jews as if their way to God was being
destroyed. But Jesus wasn’t destroying anything. He was completing it (Matt.
5:17). The old way paved with laws became a new way paved with the sacrificial
love of Jesus.
God is still at work replacing old ways of sin and legalism with the way
of love that Jesus completed. When He removes our old ways of thinking and
behaving, it may feel as if everything familiar is being destroyed. But God is
not destroying anything; He is building a better way. And we can be confident
that the end result will be smoother relationships with others and a closer
relationship with Him.
Upheaval often precedes spiritual progress. (RBC)
