Keep Grinding, Lord

Martin Wells Knapp was once going through the fires of affliction. His troubles seemed more than he could bear. In his distress he sought relief; alone in his room, he fell to his knees and asked God to remove the trial from him. As he lingered on his knees a vision came before him. He saw a rough piece of marble with a sculptor at work with a hammer and chisel. Through the dust and flying chips he saw the outline of a beautiful figure beginning to take shape in the marble, as it was hammered and chiseled and ground by the master sculptor. Knapp says the Lord spoke to him saying, "Son, you are that rough block of marble. I have a pattern in my mind of what I desire to produce in your character, and will do, if yoy will stand the grinding. But I will stop now, if you want Me to." His reply is the answer most os us would give under the same cercumstances: "Lord, continue the chiseling and grinding."
Some of us will need a lot more chiseling than others. There is a real satisfaction in knowing that the Master Sculptor knows just how much is needed to carve out a beautiful character, and there will be no more chiseling and grinding than necessary. While none of us covet trials and tribulations, and troubles and difficulties, most of us will endure them joyfully, if we know God's hand holds the chisel.
A little boy and his father were one day unpacking come large boxes out in the front yard. The father was taking items out of a box and piling them one by one on the little boy's arms. A passre-by remarked to the little fellow that he had quite a load, and asked if it wasn't too much for the little boy. With a smile, the boy replied, "No, it is not too heavy; my Daddy knows how much I can carry."
By C. L. Paddock
Source: Our Times, Copyright (c) April 1948, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com

"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. 4Perserverance must finnish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
~James 1:2-5, 12