Amelia sat on the old wooden chair, her eyes fixed on the table in front of her. The once smooth surface was now covered in scratches, dents, and signs of wear from years of use. Her father was a woodworker by trade and had made the when she was a little girl. To Amelia it was more than just a table. It was her father’s legacy now that he had passed on, having experienced so many happy memories of gatherings, conversations and family bonding. But now it was worn down and far from the masterpiece it once was.
This week Amelia has set aside some time with the goal of restoring the table once more. She grabbed some pieces of sandpaper and began to work, trying to smooth out the edges and rub out the splinters. With each stroke she felt the roughness under her fingers, as if the table resisted the change. Slowly but surely, the deep scratches started to fade and the grain of the wood emerged in a way she hadn’t noticed before. It was painful work, but she took pride in it as the table grew smoother and more beautiful.
Just then, her little girl wandered into the dining room and started to feel up the extra sandpaper she had put at the side. “Ouch!” she exclaimed as she ran her finger across the rough surface. “Mummy, you’re hurting the table!” little Grace called out. Amelia let out a smile and replied, “it’s alright dear. sometimes a little roughness is what we need to smooth things out.”
As Grace slowly lost interest and ran off, Amelia couldn’t help but ponder the unexpected wisdom in her words. Her thoughts drifted to her own life. In the recent struggles that she had faced like that big misunderstanding with Susan, her best friend, or how she had felt so overwhelmed with that big project at work that was done and dusted now. Each situation felt like sandpaper against her soul, abrasive and unwelcome. She often prayed for the challenges to go away, for life to be easier & smoother.
What if just like the table in front of her right now, God too was “sanding” her heart and character to be refined! The hardships and difficult people she encountered were like the coarse grit of sandpaper, rubbing against her imperfections but ultimately smoothing out the rough edges of pride, impatience, and selfishness. It was painful, yes, but necessary.
Amelia paused and took a deep breath, feeling the presence of God in that moment. She realized that instead of resenting the people who had hurt her or the situations that caused her pain, she could be thankful for them. They were like the sandpaper, not meant to destroy her but to shape her into something better.
Her father’s voice echoed in her mind. “You know, Amelia, it’s not the easy days that build strength of character. It’s the tough ones. Anything worth doing is worth doing well!”
“Yes Dad,” she whispered as a tear started to well up in her eye. “I will keep the faith”.
“”Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
– James 1:2-3
Have you ever felt as though life’s challenges are wearing you down, like a rough sandpaper scraping at your soul? Perhaps you’ve experienced difficult relationships, work stresses, or unexpected setbacks, and you wonder why these trials keep coming your way. The story of Amelia and her table offers us a profound insight into how God uses even the most abrasive moments to shape us for His glory.
The story is a powerful metaphor for our spiritual lives. The trials we face can often feel uncomfortable and even painful, but through these challenges God is at work trying to smooth out the imperfections in our hearts – whether it be pride, impatience, or selfishness.
“We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” // Romans 5:3-4
This verse beautifully captures the journey we all take when enduring life’s challenges. While suffering is never easy, it is through this process that our character is shaped. It builds perseverance which in turn leads to hope. And above all, our faith in the Lord shall stand strong with the assurance that God’s plan for us is greater than the trials we face.
So let us not shy away from the trials but instead embrace them knowing that God is transforming us for the better. When you feel the roughness of life’s sandpaper, remember that sometimes, “a little roughness is what’s needed to smooth things out.” 😉
God bless and have a great day ahead! 💖
