Don’t Go Countin’ Chickens God Ain’t Hatched Yet

Well, jumpin’ juneberries, friend, let’s do a lil’ somethin’ different today and go to steppin’ off this front porch to take a lil’ ol’ walkin’ stroll out in the flower garden an’ right on into the heart of Philippians 1:6 ‘cause that verse is truer than an ol’ hound dog who always finds his way back to the porch no matter how far he wanders as it’s tellin’ us, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” That’s God’s way of sayin’ He doesn’t start somethin’ and then stray off like a distracted goat that got loose in a cabbage patch. If He starts it, He’s gonna be stickin’ with it.

Now, friend, have you ever tried to fix up an old, rickety barn? You start patchin’ one board, and suddenly the whole wall starts lookin’ like it wants to retire an’ fall right over. That’s sanctification. God saves you in a moment, but He spends a lifetime sandin’, hammerin’, refinishin’, and shooin’ off all them spiritual raccoons that keep tryin’ to move back in. And some of us, bless our hearts, are real pieces o’ work. I got to be includin’ myself in that notion. If sanctification were a construction project, I’d still have scaffolding up and a sign that says, “Pardon the mess. Work in progress.”

The real truth is, we all have days when we feel like we’re conquerin’ mountains, and then, the next day we trip over a molehill. One minute you are praisin’ God like a meadowlark at sunrise, and the next you are fussin’ like a rooster who overslept. That doesn’t mean you’re not saved. It means you’re in process. It means God is still workin’ on you, chiseling away like a patient sculptor who sees the masterpiece long before the marble ever gets to cooperatin’.

Stop expectin’ instant perfection. Stop comparin’ your journey to someone else’s highlight reel. Stop thinkin’ God is disappointed every time you wobble. Friend, He knew exactly what He was gettin’ when He picked you. He’s not surprised by your stumbles. He’s committed to your finish.

God started somethin’ in you the day you trusted Christ. And He’s not quittin’. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. He’s still refinin’, still shapin’, still transformin’, still leadin’ you forward even when you feel like a lil’ ol’ turtle tryin’ to climb up on a greased log.

Father, thank You for beginning a good work in me and for not giving up when I am slow, stubborn, or stumblin’. Help me trust Your process and rest in Your promise that You will finish what You started. Shape me into the likeness of Christ day by day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I declare, friend, as you walk right on back back into your week, picture yourself like a little woodland raccoon learnin’ how to navigate his way through the forest. You may bump into a few trees, slip on a few acorns, and get startled by your own shadow, but God is still gonna be guidin’ your every step. He’s not impatient. He’s not discouraged. He’s not wringin’ His hands wonderin’ what in this ol’ world He’s gonna do with you. He’s eal steady, faithful, and finishin’ His work in you with the same care a farmer gives his prize corn field. So, lift your head, dust off your britches, and keep walkin’. God is not done with you yet, and that’s sho’-nuff mighty good news.

With joy,

Gwen