Character Builders

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. – 2 Corinthians 4:17

We all have those people, circumstances or even animals in our lives that can push our buttons in a moments notice. Over the weekend my buttons got pushed to the breaking point and I didn’t handle the blow up very well.

After my own version of a volcanic eruption I had to take a time out and think about how I could have handled the situation better and definitely more Christlike.

I was reminded as I read through a devotional that people, circumstances and even our pets can be character builders in our lives. They all provide opportunities for our character to be refined and the Fruits of The Spirit to be developed.

Two of our dogs, Roscoe and Lulu, often take thier role as character builders to the extreme. I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest animal lover, but the dogs make my husband happy and I love when he’s happy. So I help take care of them and clean up after them.

Because I’ve always thought of them as additional chores, I haven’t seen past their role in our lives as anything more than work. But God…..(don’t you just love that…..He changes everything!) He wants me to see them as the character builders that they are. They require patience, self control, love, faithfulness, gentleness and kindness. Several fruits of the Spirit, and in my husband’s case he receives love, joy and peace from them.

As I started to see them differently it helped me respond to them in a much healthier and happier way. I truly want to be more like Christ and in that request of God, He gave me pets. Pets that will try my patience, push me to exercise self control, give me opportunities to show kindness and grace for the many holes they dig in my lawn and learn to love them. The trying people and challenging circumstances in our lives are opportunities to do the same.

Being filled with The Holy Spirit is a choice and means that we have chosen to submit to God’s authority, welcome His guidance, accepted His correction and rely on His power to help us overcome the challenges we face everyday. He gives us the ability to see them as character building opportunities and when we do, the results far outweigh anything we can hope or imagine.